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Healthy eating habits can help you decrease your risk for heart disease. Making healthy food selections can reduce high blood pressure, excess body weight, and high blood cholesterol, which are all major risk factors for a heart attack. Experts say it can take 6 months to change one old habit for a healthier one, so make gradual changes.
Healthy eating tips:
- Choose lean cuts of meat, trim visible fat, and include more fish, and skinless poultry in your diet.
- Grill or broil, instead of frying.
- Use nonstick pans or nonstick cooking spray.
- When adding fat, use canola or olive oil, instead of butter or lard.
- Eat more whole grain products to add fiber to your diet.
- Consume more fruits and vegetables.
- Eat as few sweets as possible.
- Eliminate the use of whole milk, dairy products and cream sauces or gravies; include more fat-free and low-fat milk products.
The National Cholesterol Education Program's (NCEP)
Daily Food Guide |
| Nutrient | Recommendation | For a 2,000 calorie diet |
| Saturated fat | less than 7% of calories | less than 16 grams |
| Polyunsaturated fat | up to 10% of calories | 22 grams or less |
| Monounsaturated fat | up tto 20% of calories | 44 grams or less |
| Total fat | 25-35% of calories | 55-78 grams |
| Carbohydrate | 50-60% of calories | 250-300 grams |
| Fiber | 20-30 grams a day | 20-30 grams |
| Protein | about 15% of calories | about 75 grams |
| Cholesterol | less than 200 mg a day | less than 200 mg |
For more information about the NCEP and more cholesterol information, visit the National Insitutes of Health web site.
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