A diet low in fat and high in fiber can help reduce your risk of heart disease and elevated cholesterol levels. It can also help you control your weight, your blood sugar and normalize your bowel movements. Saturated and trans fats in particular can increase your risk for heart disease.
Limit Saturated Fats
Saturated fat can raise your low-density lipoprotein, or "bad," cholesterol levels. Saturated fats are in meat, poultry skin, lard, shortening, butter, cream, whole or 2 percent milk, cheeses and other products containing whole or 2 percent milk, coconut, coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil and cocoa butter. Choose loin or round cuts of meat and limit your serving to 6 oz. per day. Eat baked, broiled or grilled fish more often. Remove skin from chicken and switch to low -fat cheese and fat-free or 1 percent milk. Use a low-sugar fruit spread in place of butter.
Limit Trans Fats
Trans fats may raise your LDL cholesterol levels while lowering your high-density lipoprotein, or "good," cholesterol levels. Partially hydrogenated vegetable oils contribute about 75 percent of the trans fats in the American diet, notes the American Heart Association. Trans fats are also found in most non-liquid margarines. You should limit your daily trans fat intake to less than 1 percent of your total daily calorie intake. Check the Nutrition Facts panel for the amount of trans fats in packaged foods. Avoid fast foods, as many are high in trans fats.
Limit Total Fat Intake
Although monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are healthier choices than saturated and trans fats, you should not consume more than 25 to 35 percent of your total daily calories from fat. Rich sources of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats include olive oil, canola oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, corn oil, fatty fish, nuts, seeds and avocados.
Dietary Fiber Benefits
Dietary fiber is in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole-grain breads, cereals, nuts and seeds. Water-soluble fiber in oats, apples, legumes, citrus fruits, carrots, psyllium and barley may help lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes. If you're healthy, you should consume 25 to 35 g of fiber daily.
High-Fiber Diets
Increase your fiber intake gradually to avoid flatulence or abdominal discomfort. Switch from white rice, white bread and pasta made from white flour to brown rice, whole-grain breads and whole-wheat pasta. Decrease your serving size of meat and eat more legumes and vegetables. Snack on fat-free popcorn and dried fruits instead of chips, crackers, cookies or other snacks with added fat.
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