Cardiac diet guidelines and 7 Steps to prevent heart disease

 

A cardiac diet also known as a heart healthy diet is a diet focus on reducing sodium, fat and cholesterol intake. The diet concentrates on reducing "foods containing saturated fats and trans fats" and substituting them with "mono and polyunsaturated fats".

The diet advocates increasing intake of "complex carbohydrates, soluble fiber and omega 3 fatty acids" and is recommended for people with cardiovascular disease or people looking for a healthier diet.

Cardiac diets are very flexible, you can eat any fruit or vegetable you desire, whether fresh, frozen, canned or dried, but watch out for added salt or sugar in the packaged varieties.

What can you eat on a cardiac diet?

- All fresh vegetables and all fresh fruits

- Whole grain bread, bagels, English muffins, and tortillas

- Whole grain hot or cold breakfast cereals with no added sugar, like oatmeal or shredded wheat

- Whole grain brown or wild rice, or quinoa

- Whole wheat or whole grain pasta and couscous

Meats and other proteins:

- Seafood – fish (especially varieties rich in omega-3 fatty acids) like salmon, mackerel, herring and lake trout

- Poultry – chicken or turkey breast without skin, or lean ground chicken or turkey (at least 93% lean)

- Lean meats – pork shoulder, beef sirloin, or lean ground beef (at least 93% lean)

- Beans, peas, and lentils

- Egg whites or egg substitute

- Unsalted seeds and nuts

Beverages:

-  Water (plain or flavored with fruit slices)

- Coffee & tea

Read more: 6 reasons to try the Mediterranean diet and easy tips for starting it

Which foods should you limit while on a cardiac diet?

- White rice, bread and pasta

- Fried vegetables and fruits

- Baked goods like cakes, cookies, muffins, scones, biscuits, croissants, cobblers, doughnuts, pastries and pies

- Snacks containing partially hydrogenated oils. This includes some potato chips, crackers, snack mixes, cheese puffs and microwave popcorn.

Meats and protein:

- Fried chicken or fish

- High-fat cuts of beef (regular ground meat, ribs, T-bone and ribeye steaks)

- Processed meats like hot dogs, sausage, salami, lunch meat, bacon

- Organ meats (liver, brains and sweetbreads)

- Whole eggs

Beverages:

- Drinks with added sugars

- Alcohol

Read more: 4 Easy ways to tell if your heart is healthy without equipment

7 Steps to prevent heart disease

It might be challenging at first if a heart-healthy diet is different from your usual diet, but even with small changes over time, you can gain the benefits of a heart-healthy diet.

1- You can start with one change. For example, start by replacing butter with olive oil when cooking, add another change, like eating more fruits and vegetables.

2- Limit your salt intake; aim for less than 2 grams of sodium per day or less.

3- Drink alcohol in moderation: one serving per day for women and two per day for men. (One serving is equal to 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, and 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits.)

4- Buy a sodium-free seasoning blend, such as Mrs. Dash or McCormick’s salt-free blend, or make your own at home.

5- Increase your viscous (soluble) fiber intake with foods such as Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, turnips, apricots, mangoes, oranges, legumes, barley, oats, and oat bran. Aim for 5 to 10 grams daily. As you increase your fiber intake gradually, also increase the amount of water you drink. This will help you avoid problems with gas.

6- Don’t smoke, vape or use tobacco or nicotine products, and avoid secondhand smoke or vapor.

7- Regular physical activity can help you maintain your weight, keep off weight that you lose and reach physical and cardiovascular fitness. If it’s hard to schedule regular exercise, look for ways to build short bursts of activity into your daily routine such as parking farther away and taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Ideally, your activity should be spread throughout the week.

Read more: 6 Essential blood tests everyone should have annually

Remember:

This diet limits the intake of meat, dairy products, egg products, certain desserts and caffeine. The cardiac diet emphasizes a fruit and vegetable based diet. Foods such as spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, tomatoes, bok choy, arugula, bell peppers, and carrots are recommended. Fiber is also recommended, foods such as oats, beans, ground flaxseed and berries are advised. A healthy cardiac diet "allows for an estimated 25–30% of total calories from fat" mostly from mono and polyunsaturated fats.