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.
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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.