A Heart-healthy diet(What is the cardiac diet?): Vegetables, whole grains, and oily salmon are all part of the cardiac diet. These meals are great for keeping your heart healthy. The diet also restricts high-sugar, high-salt processed foods, which raise the risk of heart disease.
This article will cover some foods to eat and avoid and give an example of a cardiac diet meal plan. It will also discuss healthful food options at restaurants, offer tips on how to stick with the diet, and suggest some other lifestyle changes to make.
Fruits and vegetables
The saying “eat the rainbow” is a helpful reminder to individuals to eat a range of different colored fruits and vegetables every day. Plant foods offer a variety of antioxidants that can help protect the heart. Fiber is also found in fruits and vegetables, which is important for heart health. Experts recommend consuming 4–5 servings (2.5 cups) of vegetables each day. People should attempt to consume more non-starchy vegetables and minimize the amount of starchy vegetables they eat, such as potatoes and squash.
Oily fish
Omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish have anti-inflammatory qualities and are beneficial to the heart.
The American Heart Association recommends eating two servings of fish per week, preferably fatty fish. A serving consists of 3.5 ounces of cooked fish or 34 cups of flaked fish.
The following fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids
- salmon
- mackerel
- herring
- lake trout
- sardines
- albacore tuna
Children and pregnant or breastfeeding women should avoid larger fish including sharks, swordfish, and marlin, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This is because of the possibility of mercury exposure.
Whole grains
Limiting processed grains and replacing them with whole grains can help prevent cardiovascular disease. The source you can trust. Whole grains have a higher fiber content than processed grains. Whole grain bread, pasta, and rice can all be included in a healthy diet.
Nuts, seeds, and legumes
Daily consumption of 2–3 cups of nuts, seeds, and legumes is recommended for cardiovascular health.
Nuts and seeds, on the other hand, are high in energy, notwithstanding their nutritional value. As a result, they should be consumed following a person’s intended calorie consumption.
The following foods can be included in one’s diet:
- Walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, and cashews are examples of nuts.
- Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, and chia seeds are examples of seeds.
- Garbanzo beans, lentils, black beans, kidney beans, adzuki beans, and fava beans are examples of legumes.
Low fat dairy foods
The American Heart Association acknowledges the contradictory information on saturated fats and the risk of heart disease. however, that the majority of data suggests that people should eat less saturated fat in their diet. By choosing skimmed milk and low-fat dairy products, a person can consume less saturated fat.
Foods to avoid
When following a cardiac diet, there are a few foods that should be avoided. These are the following:
Meats that have been red and processed, Saturated fat is found in red meat. Several studies have found that substituting plant protein for red or processed meat reduces the risk of heart disease. Nuts, legumes, whole grains, and soy products are examples of plant proteins.
Sugar-sweetened foods and beverages
Sugar is added to a lot of processed meals and beverages, especially sodas and energy drinks.
The American Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting calories from added sugars to no more than 10% of daily calories Trusted Source. This translates to 200 calories, or 12 teaspoons of sugar, per day on a 2,000-calorie diet.
Excess sugar should be avoided to maintain a healthy weight.
Processed foods
Long lists of ingredients are common in processed foods, many of which are detrimental to heart health. Many processed foods, for example, contain trusted Sources:
chemicals and food colorings, high sugar, high salt, trans fats, saturated fats
If at all feasible, make meals from scratch with whole foods. This is a healthier alternative.
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