Heart-healthy Low-carb, Low-fat Diets

Low carbohydrate diets have become quite popular. The evidence suggests that low carbohydrate diets do help people lose weight as effectively as other types of diets, but are low carbohydrate diets bad for the heart? They don't have to be. There are several ways to make a low carbohydrate diet heart-healthy.

What is a Low Carb Diet

A carbohydrate, or a carb, is a macronutrient component of food. Carbohydrates are found in foods like bread, pasta, noodles, rice; baked goods like pastries and cakes; in fruit; in starchy vegetables like potatoes, corn and beans; and in sugary foods and beverages like candy and soft drinks.

Typically, in a low carb diet, the amount of carbohydrates is restricted in favor of higher amounts of protein or fat. There is currently not a set definition for the amount of carbohydrate in a diet to constitute low carb. Popular diets touted as low-carb have a carbohydrate restriction of between 11-40% of total calories from carbohydrates.

As the amount of carbohydrate decreases in a diet, the amount of fat and protein increases. Selecting heart-healthy fats and proteins is the key to developing a heart-healthy low carb diet.

Heart-healthy Fats

You need fat in your diet for a variety of functions, so choosing heart-healthy fats is ideal. Heart-healthy fats include mono-unsaturated fats, like the fat found in nuts, avocados, olives, olive oil and canola oil. Poly-unsaturated fats, like the fat found in salmon and tuna, nuts and seeds, sunflower and safflower oil, also are heart-healthy.
When choosing fats, choose heart-healthy fats instead of fats like butter or lard.

Heart-healthy Meat and Meat Substitute Choices

Meat and meat substitutes are rich sources of protein in the diet. Similar to fats, certain sources of meats and meat substitutes may be better choices for a heart-healthy diet. Protein-containing foods include meat, poultry, fish and seafood, beans and legumes, cheese, milk, eggs, soy and tofu. The heart healthy choices include low-fat dairy products, including light or skim milk, low-fat yogurt, and low-fat cheese; egg whites; beans and legumes; lean meat such as chicken and turkey; and soy and tofu. Select the heart-healthy meat choices instead of red meats, full-fat dairy products and whole eggs.

The Heart-healthy Low Carb Diet Plan

Putting all of these elements together, a heart-healthy low carb diet is possible. Select heart-healthy fats and meat or meat substitutes and go easy on the carb-containing foods. A typical daily intake may start with two egg whites scrambled with fresh vegetables and herbs and cooked in one teaspoon canola oil for breakfast; a snack of a handful of raw almonds; a small can of tuna packed in fresh water on a salad of leafy greens, diced tomatoes, bell peppers, and sliced avocado topped with an olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette for lunch; a snack of low-fat cottage cheese topped with a small handful of red grapes; and one chicken breast poached in tomato broth, served with steamed asparagus and a small side salad for dinner.

Consult your doctor before beginning a diet plan. Also, a dietitian can help to determine exact serving sizes appropriate for you.