Both low-fat and heart-healthy diets are smart decisions if you have a history of heart disease. Choosing a diet that works with your lifestyle to increase your chances of sticking with it. Not all diets are right for everyone. Lowering your overall fat, dietary cholesterol and salt intake are some of the features of heart-healthy diets.
American Heat Association Recommendations
To follow a heart-healthy diet, the American Heart Association encourages a combination of healthy lifestyle choices and dietary changes. Lifestyle habits encouraged are becoming a nonsmoker, exercising regularly, and monitoring blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol. Portions from each food group balance the diet the American Heart Association recommends. Aim to eat 4 ½ cups of fruits and vegetables per day, two servings of fish per week, three servings of whole grains daily and at least four servings of nuts and seeds per week. In addition, limit your intake of sodium, sugary beverages and processed meat.
Mediterranean Diet
Although the Mediterranean diet is not a low-fat diet, it is a heart-healthy one. Besides the specifics of the Mediterranean diet, it also emphasizes the importance of healthy lifestyle changes like regular physical activity and enjoying meals with family. The diet is heart-healthy because it encourages the use of healthy unsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids, but limits your intake of saturated fats. Fruits, vegetables and grains make up the base of the diet. The Mediterranean diet also encourages using herbs and spices instead of the sodium-based condiments that are common in American cooking.
DASH Diet
The DASH diet was developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to help lower blood pressure. High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects more than 65 million people according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. When your blood pressure is high, your heart is working in overdrive. The DASH diet is based on fruits, vegetables and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products. It follows the low saturated fat and cholesterol guidelines outlined by the American Heart Association. The DASH eating plan is based on numbers of servings from each food group. For example, if you follow a 2,000-calorie eating plan and would like to switch to the DASH diet, you should consume six to eight servings of grains per day, four to five servings of vegetables, four to five servings of fruits, two to three servings of low-fat or fat-free milk products, six or fewer servings of meat, two to three servings of fat and oil per day. It also includes four to five servings of nuts or seeds each week.
Ornish Diet
Dr. Dean Ornish developed his Ornish Diet, a low-fat diet plan that's often criticized for being too restrictive. The main principle of the Ornish diet is to restrict fat to no more than 10 percent of your daily calories. In addition, the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fat must be greater than 1. Only 15 to 20 percent of your calories can come from protein sources and70 to 75 percent of your daily calories should come from complex carbohydrates.
References
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute; Your Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure with DASH; 2006
- MayoClinic.com; Mediterranean Diet: Choose this Heart-Healthy Diet Option; June 2010
- MayoClinic.com; Weight Loss: Choosing a Diet That's Right For You; June 2010
- American Heart Association: Healthy Diet Goals
