Coronary heart disease is one of the major killers in the U.S. today. It begins when excess fat and cholesterol in your blood accumulate on the inside of the arteries bringing oxygen-rich blood from your lungs to the heart. Over time, these deposits harden into plaques that deprive your heart muscle of vital nutrients, leading to coronary heart disease. Poor diet is one of the major risk factors for the development of coronary heart disease.
History
Prior to 2004, there was a good deal of confusion among professional organizations about heart-healthy diets. During that year, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute convened a prestigious group of health care professionals and scientists to review the extensive evidence about high cholesterol and issues recommendations for a heart-healthy diet. This National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults published findings that created a therapeutic lifestyle changes, or TLC, diet.
Expert Insight
The TLC diet identifies specific dietary components that contribute to coronary heart disease and establishes limits for your daily intake. The NCEP panel recommends that less than 7 percent of your daily calories should come from saturated fat, less than 1 percent from trans fats and between 25 and 35 percent from total fats. The guidelines also advise restricting your dietary cholesterol to less than 200 mg per day and sodium to less than 2,400 mg daily.
Limiting the Right Foods
If you want to lower your blood cholesterol and reduce your risk of coronary heart disease, limit your intake of saturated and trans fats, advises MayoClinic.com. Avoid egg yolks, full-fat dairy products, butter, lard and fried foods. Limit servings of high-fat proteins like red meat, remove skin and visible fat before cooking meat and poultry and opt for meatless meals based on legumes like beans and lentils. Think twice before using the salt shaker and avoid high-sodium products like canned soups, soy sauce and frozen dinners.
Eating the Right Foods
To reduce your risk of coronary heart disease, eat at least three, 1-oz. servings of fiber-rich whole grains and a minimum of 4-1/2 cups of fruits and vegetables each day, according to the American Heart Association. To keep blood vessels healthy and lower your blood cholesterol, MayoClinic.com advises eating a handful of hazelnuts, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, pecans or other nuts daily. Fresh fruits and vegetables are rich in substances that may prevent heart disease. You should also eat at least four servings a week of nuts, legumes and seeds and two, 3.5-oz. servings of oily fish.
Tips
The American Heart Association sponsors a Heart-Check Mark nutritional label program that food manufacturers can use to certify that their products meet standards for saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, total fat, sodium and beneficial nutrients. Look for meats, seafood, whole grains, whole oats and standard food products that feature the Heart-Check logo.
References
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: Coronary Heart Disease Explained
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) Executive Summary
- MayoClinic.com: Heart-Healthy Diet: 8 Steps to Prevent Heart Disease
- American Heart Association: Healthy Diet Goals
- MayoClinic.com: Cholesterol: Top Five Foods to Lower Your Numbers
- American Heart Association: Heart-Check Mark Nutritional Critieria
