People with heart disease can improve their health by avoiding certain foods. One of the risk factors for heart disease that can be modified by diet is undesirable lipid values. Many of the foods to avoid contain cholesterol, saturated fat and trans fat, which if eaten in unhealthy amounts can contribute to elevated cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins. Other foods that should be eaten in moderation if you have heart disease include refined flour, due to its correlation with diabetes, and salt because of its relationship to the development of hypertension; both conditions increase the risk of complications related to heart disease.
Fats
If you have heart disease, you should not use stick butter or stick margarine for spreads or baking. Instead, use soft margarines that contain 0g of trans fat, as these margarines usually come in tubs, according to the American Heart Association. Avoid baking or cooking with shortening, lard and bacon fat. People with heart disease should choose not to eat or prepare foods with gravy and cream sauce. It is not advised to use non-dairy creamers, which may contain unhealthy trans fatty acids. Some oils you should limit using include coconut, palm, cottonseed and palm kernel oils.
High Protein Foods
If you do eat dairy, do not eat full-fat dairy products, according to MayoClinic.com. Eating organ meats, fatty meats, spareribs, cold cuts, hot dogs, sausages, bacon, fried meats and breaded meats is also not advised. Avoid eating meat that has marbling or is not trimmed of fat. Limit eating egg yolks, as they are naturally high in cholesterol.
Vegetables and Fruits
Avoid preparing vegetables by breading and frying them; this changes a healthy food into one to avoid for heart health. If you use sauces, choose those that are not cream-based. Do not use canned fruit packed in heavy syrup and frozen fruit with sugar added, according to the American Heart Association.
Flours, Breads, Snack Foods
If you have heart disease, avoid making foods at home with white flour. When you buy baked goods such as bread, muffins, frozen waffles, corn bread, doughnuts, biscuits and quick breads, make sure they are not made with white flour only. When you buy granola bars, read the label, as oftentimes these products contain significant amounts of fat and sugar; limit eating these. Other baked goods that are notoriously high in calories and fat, and therefore unhealthy for your heart, are cakes and pies. If you like popcorn, eat it plain, because buttered popcorn is a high-calorie snack that will not help you with your heart disease. Before you buy snack crackers, read labels and avoid crackers that contain significant fat and salt.
Salty Foods
Limit your use of salt while preparing food and also when you are eating. If you have to eat canned soup, buy the low-sodium kind, because regular canned soup has a significant amount of sodium. In general, limit foods that are pre-made and processed, as they often have a high sodium content. If you drink or use tomato juice in cooking, avoid using the regular juice and choose a low-sodium version. You should also limit the use of regular soy sauce, as it is a high-salt condiment and cooking seasoning.
References
- Mayo Clinic: 8 Steps to Prevent Heart Disease
- "Nutrition and Diagnosis-Related Care"; Escott-Stump, Sylvia; 2008
- American Heart Association: Grocery Shopping
