People recovering from a heart attack often change their diet in an effort to prevent another one. You already may have made tough dietary changes at home. The good news is that you can also eat at restaurants and stay faithful to a heart-healthy diet. More and more restaurants are offering dishes that accommodate your dietary needs. The trick is choosing the right ones.
Significance
Of the nearly 1.5 million people who suffer heart attacks each year, approximately 500,000 die, according to PreventingHeartDisease.org. Having survived one heart attack, your chances of living longer improve if you take your medicines, exercise moderately and eat a heart-healthy diet.
Heart-Healthy Diet
To keep your heart healthy, you have to keep your blood vessels open and functioning. One way to do this is to eat foods low in cholesterol. If you have hypertension, you must take your medicine and limit your salt intake by not salting foods at the table, reading labels and avoiding foods high in sodium. Your diet should mostly consist of very lean meats, chicken, fish, fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy and whole-grain breads and pasta. A diet rich in antioxidant foods guards against heart disease and cancer. Antioxidant foods include berries, vegetables, decaffeinated green tea, dark red grapes, most fruits, tuna, salmon and other fish, olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, beans and dark chocolate.
Good Choices
Armed with the above information, you can make good choices in restaurants. Choose fish and chicken dishes, but avoid shellfish due to its high cholesterol content. Ask to have your chicken or fish broiled or baked -- and without gravy. Seasoned vegetables are a good side dish, as long as they come without cream sauce and aren't fried. Eat whole grain bread instead of white bread. Enjoy a single glass of red wine, if your physician agrees. For dessert, request fruit.
Accommodations
In a restaurant, always ask for broiled or baked meat, poultry and fish. When eating a salad, ask for the dressing on the side. Ask your server to ask the chef to hold the salt and instead use your favorite non-salt seasoning. When ordering a baked potato, ask for butter on the side and use it sparingly. Request skinless chicken -- and vegetables cooked without fat.
Cultural Foods
Choose marinara sauce for Italian dishes, instead of meat or cream sauces. Eat fewer dishes stuffed with cheese. Don't eat salami and pepperoni. Request Mexican dishes without the cheese and sour cream. Ask that rice, beans and chicken be prepared without fats. When eating Chinese food, limit sauces, fried items, sugary glazes and monosodium glutamate.
Recommendations
Even though you can buy very lean beef at the grocery store, it is hard to find at a restaurant. If your doctor says you can eat red meat, choose sirloin, which has the least amount of fat. Tender cuts contain more marbleized fat and cholesterol. Avoid fried chicken and fish. Get protein from beans and grain dishes. Mix beans with brown rice, couscous, quinoa or whole grain pasta, Eat as many unsalted vegetables and unsweetened fruits as you can.
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