Congestive heart failure, caused by weakness or damage to the heart, occurs when the heart doesn't pump hard enough to push enough blood through the body. Blood backs up into the liver, lungs, abdomen and lower extremities. Lifestyle modification, including weight loss and smoking cessation, help relieve signs and symptoms. Patients with congestive heart failure should also watch their diet and avoid eating foods that may worsen their condition.
Salt and Salty Foods
Those with congestive heart failure should avoid salt and salty foods. The recommended daily amount of sodium, a component of salt, is 2,000 mg or less per day, notes MayoClinic.com. The degree of salt restriction needed depends on the severity of the heart failure that is diagnosed. Congestive heart failure patients should use salt substitutes instead of salt and avoid foods like sauerkraut or other pickled vegetables, snack chips, olives, smoked or cured meat, cold cuts and salted nuts, all of which are high in sodium.
Saturated Fats
Limiting the amount of saturated fat in the diet may prevent congestive heart failure from getting worse. To eat less saturated fat, avoid foods like beef, which are high in saturated fat. Choosing leaner cuts of beef like the round, chuck, sirloin or loin is beneficial if congestive heart failure patients want to include beef in their diet; all visible fat should be trimmed from the beef before cooking. Avoid processed beef products, including sausage and salami, to avoid both high levels of saturated fat and high amounts of sodium.
Trans Fat
Congestive heart failure patients should avoid trans fat in their diets. This type of fat, a processed fat, is found in cakes and other baked goods. It can raise the risk of increasing LDL cholesterol, or the bad type of cholesterol, in the bloodstream and worsen symptoms of congestive heart failure. Keep dietary intake of foods like cake and other baked or processed goods that contain trans fat to a minimum.
