Cholesterol is a fat-like substance in every cell in your body. It is made in your liver and is also found in animal foods like egg yolks, meats (especially organ meats) and dairy products.
There are 2 main types of blood cholesterol:
● HDL (high-density lipoproteins) is “good” cholesterol. It helps keep the coronary arteries clear of fatty buildup.
● LDL (low-density lipoproteins) is “bad” cholesterol. It adds to fatty buildup in the coronary arteries.
HDL: 40mg/dl or more for men 50mg/dl or more for women
LDL: less than 100mg/dl heart patients less than 70md/dl
High blood cholesterol levels can increase your risk for heart attack and stroke. These risks are even higher when combined with:
● smoking
● diabetes
● high blood pressure
● obesity
● a family history of heart disease
Your goal is to eat well most of the time.
Food choices control how much fat and cholesterol you eat. Making good choices can help lower your blood cholesterol. Don’t overeat. And, control your portion sizes. Don’t “super size” your meals. This will lead to a “super sized” you!
nonfat snacks, like air popped popcorn or carrot sticks
dried or fresh herbs
nonfat dressings or nonfat mayonnaise
Eat these SOMETIMES:
lean meats (trimmed of all fat), fish, skinned chicken or turkey
vegetable oils (Use very little. All oils have 14 g/fat per tablespoon.)
low-fat cheeses, yogurts, sour creams or 1% milk
olives, peanut butter (limit 2 teaspoons per day), seeds and nuts (limit 1 tablespoon per day)
Eat these Rarely:
butter, stick or soft margarine, egg yolks, whole milk, 2% milk, cream, half ’n half, eggnog and most cheeses (unless they list 3 g fat or less per serving)
red meats, sausage, bacon, fat back, goose, duck, dark meat poultry, organ meats
croissants, donuts, bakery cakes or cookies, Danish
anything listed as “hydrogenated” – a man-made, trans fat
sugary drinks
Sugar
Many nutritious foods and drinks have NATURAL sugars (fruits, milk, grains, veggies). An excess of even NATURAL sugars can be unhealthy, but it’s ADDED sugar that is the big problem. ADDED sugars can lead to diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.
The big offenders of ADDED sugar are sugary soda, sports drinks and processed foods (sugar added cereals, cookies and salad dressings).
The American Heart Association recommends that men limit ADDED sugar to 150 calories a day and women to 100 calories a day. If you drink even one regular 12 oz. soda, you have exceeded that recommendation. Be sure to check nutrition labels for ADDED sugar.
What to do for a healthier you
● Drink mainly water, not sugar loaded drinks
● Choose whole fruits and get the added benefit of fiber
● Eat snacks of raw veggies, nuts, low fat cheeses and low calorie/low fat yogurt
● Use plant based sweeteners (like Stevia)
● Keep your fasting blood sugar to less than 100mg/dl and your A1C* to less than 6.5%
* A1C is a blood test to determine if you might have diabetes.
Sodium
Sodium is a mineral that helps your body balance levels of fluids inside and outside cells. Your body needs very little sodium per day, but most of us eat 3,000 to 6,000 mg. The most common source of sodium is table salt.
These foods often have lots of sodium in them:
● fast foods, restaurant foods
● lunch meats, hot dogs
● snack foods
● canned soups, frozen or packaged dinners
● sauces, seasonings, condiments
Many salty foods do not list “salt” on their labels, they call it sodium. People with heart problems or high blood pressure should limit their sodium intake. The amount of sodium for me each day is ______mgs
One teaspoon of table salt equals about 2,400 mg of sodium.
Food labels
Most food products have Nutrition Facts on their labels. You can use these facts to choose foods that have less fats, cholesterol and sodium.
Serving Size
Serving sizes are what all other figures on label are based on.
Calories are for 1 serving.
Vitamins and Minerals
The percent given is based on the daily value you need each day.
Example:
One serving will give you 30%, of the calcium you need for 1 day.
Products that are too small for a nutrition label should have a phone number that you can call for more information.
Nutrition Facts
90
Nutrients and % Daily Value
(based on 2000 calories)
This area shows what part each nutrient is of a whole day’s worth.
Example:
500mg=milligrams of cholesterol allowed in 1 day on a 2000 calorie diet
5mg=grams of cholesterol in 1 serving of food (or 1% of total milligrams of cholesterol you should have in 1 day)
Daily value footnote
This shows you that the daily values are based on 2000 calories. Your daily values may be higher or lower based on your calorie needs.
Mix it up!
No food group can give your body all the nutrients it needs. It is a balance of many foods and exercise that helps you feel good and stay healthy.
Grains — includes all foods made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal or barley. At least half of all grains eaten should be whole grains.
Vegetables — includes all fresh, frozen, canned or dried vegetables and vegetable juices. Vegetables are sub-divided into dark green, orange, legumes (beans), starches and all others. A variety of vegetable types should be eaten each week.
Fruits — includes all fresh, frozen, canned or dried fruits and fruit juices.
Oils — includes fats from many different plants and fish. Fats that are liquid at room temperature include canola, corn, olive, soybean and sunflower oil. Some foods are naturally high in oils, like nuts, olives, fish and avocados. Some processed foods are mainly oil, such as mayonnaise, some salad dressings and soft margarine. Some plant oils, such as coconut and palm kernel oil, are high in saturated fat and should be avoided.
Milk — includes all fluid milk products, yogurt and cheese. Other foods made from milk, like cream cheese, cream and butter, are not part of the group (they have little to no calcium in them).
Meat and Beans — includes 1 oz of lean meat, poultry or fish, 1 egg, 1 Tbsp peanut butter, ¼ cup cooked dry beans or ½ oz of nuts or seeds (equal to 1 oz of meat or beans).
Choose my plate
Choosemyplate.gov is a guide to help you make changes to your diet by balancing calories, increasing fruits, vegetables and whole grains, while decreasing sodium and sugar.
To learn more, visit choosemyplate.gov
* Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA does not endorse any products, services or organizations.
Spread out over 3 meals per day
How many calories are right?
How many calories you need are based on activity levels by gender. Activity levels are: I = inactive; M= moderately active; A = active
Fats and cholesterol
Foods high in saturated fats raise the cholesterol level in your blood. When you have too much cholesterol, your heart arteries are more likely to become clogged. This can cause heart attacks and strokes.
Have your blood cholesterol level checked, and follow the advice of your doctor or registered dietitian (RD) to reduce the unhealthy fat in your diet.
Fats
There are 2 types of fat—saturated and unsaturated.
● Saturated fats raise your blood cholesterol level more than anything else you eat. They are found in animal foods like meats, butter and cheese. Many other foods have saturated fats, too.
● Unsaturated fats are OK for you, in small amounts. They are found mostly in nuts, seeds and vegetable oils like olive, peanut and canola.
● Trans fats are a type of unsaturated fat. They are created when hydrogen is added to unsaturated fats. These fats lower good cholesterol and raise bad cholesterol. They are the worst of all fats.
For most people, 30% to 35% or less of food calories should be from fat. Less than 6% should be from saturated fats and no amount of trans fat is good for you. For heart patients, the amounts are even less. Ask your doctor or RD how much fat should be in your diet.
Tips for cooking
Meats and fish
● Bake, broil, steam, roast or poach meats. Don’t fry. Stir frying is OK, but use very little oil.
● Use nonstick pans to cook without oils.
● Buy tuna and salmon packed in water, not oil.
● Trim extra fat before cooking. It’s OK to cook chicken and turkey with the skin, but don’t eat the skin.
● Drain all meats on a paper towel after cooking to soak up extra grease and fat.
Eggs and dairy foods
● Use skim or 1% milk for creamed soups and sauces.
● Use low-fat cheeses in casseroles and other recipes.
● Use 2 egg whites in place of 1 whole egg in recipes.
Salt and seasonings
● Rinse canned foods in a strainer under running water before cooking or eating them. This removes some of the sodium.
● Season foods with fresh or dried herbs, vegetables, fruits or no-salt seasonings. Do not cook with salt or add salt to foods after they are on the table.
● Do not eat products with more than 150–350 mg of sodium in a serving.
Smaller Scoops
You can stay heart smart and save food by serving smaller portions to yourself and others. Many people simply eat until their plates are empty—so put less food on the plates.
Reviewer
Sue Cambre, RN, BSHA
Cardiology Nurse
Northside Hospital
Atlanta, GA
Special thanks to the previous reviewers of this book:
Debbie Walls, RD, LD, CDE
Doris Adler, RD, LD, CDE
Leslie Stewart, RD, LD
A smart diet for your heart is low in unhealthy fats, sugar and salt. It is also well-balanced and includes many types of food. This guide will help you learn about foods and make heart smart food choices. This book is only to help you learn, and should not be used to replace any of your doctor’s advice or treatment.
We believe that you have the right to know as much as you can about your health. Our goal is to give you enough facts to get the main points clearly in mind. We do this with medical accuracy, warmth and humor. The result for you: less tension, more healing and a good idea of what to ask your doctor, nurse or others.
Order this book from :
PRITCHETT & HULL ASSOCIATES, INC.
3440 OAKCLIFF RD NE STE 126 ATLANTA GA 30340-3006 or call toll free: 800-241-4925
