Heart disease refers to a number of heart conditions, and coronary heart disease is the most common. In the U.S., it's the leading cause of death for almost every racial and ethnic group. More than one of every four deaths in 2006 resulted from heart disease. A heart-healthy diet can reduce the risk factors for coronary heart disease.
Expert Insight
In 2004, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute brought together leading health care professionals and scientists to examine the evidence on high cholesterol and heart disease. This National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults ultimately published guidelines for lifestyle modifications, including a therapeutic lifestyle changes, or TLC, diet to promote heart health and reduce the incidence of heart disease.
Features
The TLC diet establishes specific daily limits for dietary ingredients that contribute to heart health. A sample diet for heart health limits your saturated fat intake to less than 7 percent of total daily calories, trans fat intake to less than 1 percent and total fat intake to somewhere between 25 and 35 percent. The NCEP panel also advises keeping your cholesterol intake below 200mg per day and limiting sodium to 2,400mg or less.
Unhealthy Foods
Professional organizations and health care professionals have created specific dietary precautions based on the NCEP panel guidelines. For example, two of MayoClinic.com's eight steps to prevent heart disease are limiting unhealthy fats and cholesterol, and reducing salt. The Cleveland Clinic recommends avoiding fatty meats, fried foods, desserts, tropical oils, partially hydrogenated fats and full-fat dairy products to lower your daily intake of saturated fats and cholesterol. Limit the amount of salt you add during the cooking process and at the table, and reduce your intake of high-sodium canned soups, frozen meals and sauces.
Balanced Diet
The American Heart Association urges you to enjoy a balanced diet that includes at least 4 1/2 cups of fruits and vegetables and three 1-ounce-equivalent servings of whole grains every day. At least twice a week, incorporate a 3 1/2 ounce serving of oily fish like tuna, mackerel, salmon, lake trout or albacore tuna. Enjoy a handful of heart-healthy nuts, seeds or legumes a minimum of four times a week.
Tips
Obesity is an independent risk factor for heart disease, so even heart-healthy foods like fruits, whole grains and nuts can be harmful if you overdo it. Read nutritional labels carefully to determine the right portion size. Avoid eating seconds unless you're truly hungry, and resist the urge to eat until you're stuffed, recommends MayoClinic.com. Learn about portion sizes for common foods. For example, a 2- to 3-ounce serving of meat is the size of a deck of cards and a 1/2 cup portion of pasta is the same size as a hockey puck.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Heart Disease Fact Sheet
- 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
- Cleveland Clinic: Healthy Heart Diet
- American Heart Association: Healthy Heart Goals
- American Heart Association: Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids
