Eating an unhealthy diet is one of the leading risk factors of heart disease. On the other hand, following the proper diet is a major factor in reducing your risk of developing heart disease. Making a few small diet changes gradually can put you on the right path to developing a permanent eating plan that can help decrease your risk of heart disease.
Fats and Cholesterol
High amounts of saturated fats and trans fat in the diet significantly increase the amount of cholesterol in your bloodstream. High cholesterol can lead to the accumulation of plaque on the walls of your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease. In order to keep your arteries clear, you should limit your intake of saturated fat to less than 7 percent of your daily calories and your trans fat intake to less than 1 percent of daily calories. Common sources of saturated fat include butter, margarine, shortening, fatty cuts of meat and full-fat dairy. Fried foods and processed foods are rich sources of trans fat. Most of your fat intake should be in the form of unsaturated fats found in nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocados and fatty fish.
You should also limit dietary cholesterol to no more than 300 mg per day. Your liver makes all of the cholesterol you need to survive, so the lower your dietary intake, the better. The most significant sources of dietary cholesterol are egg yolks and fatty cuts of meat.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are the basis of a heart-healthy diet. Fruits and vegetables provide a large amount of vitamins, minerals and fiber, without providing excess calories or fat. Fruits and vegetables can help keep you full, which may lead to decreased consumption of high-fat or high-calorie foods. You should aim to consume three to five servings of both fruits and vegetables every day.
Protein
Protein is an important aspect of a heart-healthy diet. Protein helps maintain structural support, build immunity, maintain acid-base balance and provide energy, when needed. When choosing protein, however, it is important to choose lean sources of protein that do not provide high amounts of saturated fat. The best sources of protein include lean meat, poultry, fish, low-fat dairy products and egg whites. Legumes, which include beans and peas, are also good sources of protein.
Whole Grains
Whole grains are loaded with heart-healthy B vitamins and fiber that can help reduce your cholesterol levels and decrease your risk of heart disease. When choosing grains, opt for whole grain varieties rather than white breads or white rice.
Sodium
Consuming too much sodium can increase your blood pressure. When your blood pressure remains high for an extended period of time, it puts excess strain on the heart. Eventually, uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to heart disease and even heart failure. In order to reduce your risk, you should limit sodium intake to no more than 2,300 mg per day. If you have existing heart disease, sodium should not exceed 1,500 mg daily.
