1. Know Your Limits
The purpose of a heart diet is to refrain from eating foods high in sodium, fat and cholesterol that may lead to heart problems. Here are some general guidelines to follow regarding daily food intake: less than 2400 milligrams of sodium, less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol, and 30 percent or less of total calories from fat. See your doctor for recommendations regarding calorie levels that will help you reach and maintain a healthy weight and blood cholesterol level.
2. Learn the Label Lingo
According to the Food and Drug Administration, food labels claiming to be low in certain substances must be able to prove their claims. Companies are forced to abide to certain standards when phrases such as "free" or "light" are used. Here is a general breakdown of what the American Heart Association website has to say about food labels (all examples represent one serving). "High fiber" means 5 grams or more of fiber. "Sugar-free" means less than .05 grams of sugar, "calorie-free" means less than 5 calories and "fat-free" means less than .05 grams of fat. "Cholesterol free" means less than 2 milligrams of cholesterol and 2 grams of saturated fat, "sodium-free" means no sodium chloride in the product and less than 5 milligrams of sodium. "Light" means 1/3 less calories, half the sodium or half the fat of the regular item.
3. Here Are Your Choices
The American Heart Association recommends foods low in salt, saturated fat and cholesterol such as fresh fruits, fresh or frozen vegetables (minus flavorings that may add salt or fat). Also non-breaded fish, skinless chicken and/or turkey, lean cuts of pork, beef, veal, or lamb, beans, tofu, unsalted and dry roasted nuts are good choices. As to drinks, recommendations are for low sodium vegetable juice, fruit juices, lemonade, coffee and tea (in moderation), soy milk and 1 percent or lower milk. Good choices are low sodium cottage cheese, low fat cheeses, unsaturated vegetable oils, low fat/low sodium mayonnaise and salad dressings, breads with regular flour (not self rising), cooked cereals (avoiding instant varieties), enriched white or brown rice, wheat germ, puffed rice or wheat, sorbet, sherbet, fig bars, honey, molasses, jelly, jam, ginger snaps and graham crackers.
4. Be Smart When You're Out
Stay heart healthy when eating out by sticking to the following guidelines. Limit appetizers and cocktails (which add considerable salt and fat to your meal) and ask for salad dressings or sauces on the side. Also choose foods that are baked, broiled, poached, steamed, roasted or grilled rather than basted, buttered, fried, sauteed or stewed. Choose desserts such as angel food cake, fresh fruit or fruit ice instead of more fatty choices and whenever you are in doubt about a food item, ask your waiter for assistance.
5. Prepare For Some Home Cooking
On a heart healthy diet, food prep is just as important as the foods themselves. Since salt is such a major area of concern, eliminate it from your kitchen. In addition, avoid frying your foods in fatty oils. Instead, microwave, stir fry, bake, pouch, grill, steam or broil your foods. Finally, substitute ingredients to make recipes healthier. The American Heart Association recommends the following substitutions: nonfat/skim milk versus whole milk, evaporated skim milk instead of cream, low fat yogurt and cottage cheese instead of sour cream, polyunsaturated margarine versus butter, and cholesterol-free egg substitute instead of eggs.
