The Dos and Don'ts of Heart Healthy Dieting

With the growing incidence of heart diseases across the globe, there has been a corresponding increase in the awareness about heart healthy lifestyle. Cardiovascular exercises and stress alleviation activities such as Yoga do help, but unless these activities are coupled with the right kind of diet, they will not be effective in preventing heart diseases. Therefore, nowadays, more and more people have been opting for heart healthy dieting in order to maintain their heart healthy and functional. If you are not sure what all foods are safe for your heart, then read on and discover the do's and don'ts of heart-healthy dieting -

1. Limit your intake of unhealthy fats

It is essential to limit the blood cholesterol levels in your body in order to eliminate the risk of atherosclerosis, heart attack or other coronary diseases. It is best to limit your intake of unhealthy fats such as butter, coconut oil, palm oil or margarine to aid in lowering the blood cholesterol levels in your body. Doctors recommend restricting saturated-fats to less than 7% and trans-fats to less than 1% of your daily calorie intake. You can use healthier alternatives such as olive oil or canola oil or any other monounsaturated fats in moderate quantities for your cooking needs. Polyunsaturated fatty acids derived from walnuts or flaxseeds, are also permissible under heart healthy diets because they are rich in Omega-3-fatty acids that are great for your heart's health.

2. Opt for low-fat proteins

It is essential to opt for low- fat dairy products such as low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt, low-fat cream, low-fat cheese, etc if you want to reduce your blood cholesterol levels. Always opt for fish or lean meat instead of high fat meat if you are a non-vegetarian. Consuming fishes like mackerel, herring and salmon is considered the best option because in addition to being excellent protein sources, these fishes are also rich in Omega-3-fatty acids that are great for your heart's health. Lentils, soya beans, and peas are also excellent low-fat protein options.

3. Increase your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables

Taking plenty of fresh fruits like apples, oranges or bananas and fresh vegetables like carrots, broccoli, or green vegetables everyday will have wonderful impact on your heart. Always opt for foods with high dietary fibers as the fiber tends to reduce blood cholesterol. Try and consume them raw (with minimum cooking or high fat seasoning and garnishing) so that you are able to derive the goodness of all the vitamins and minerals in the fruit or vegetable. Snacking on fruits and vegetable salads is permissible for as many times in a day as is necessary for you these foods contain substances that prevent cardiovascular diseases.

4. Opt for whole grain products

Always opt for whole wheat flour, oatmeal, whole-grain bread or pasta, brown rice, or any other whole grain products, because they are rich in Vitamin-B, Vitamin-E, as well as a lot of minerals that are highly beneficial for the good health of the heart.

5. Reduce your intake of salt

It is essential to limit your salt intake to less than 1 teaspoonful in a day (less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium salt) because higher dietary sodium salt intake can lead to high blood pressure, which may in turn trigger a cardiovascular diseases and heart ailments. Therefore, it is best to avoid using salt laden sauces, chips, deep-fried snacks and soups, that can shoot up your blood pressure instantly.

Heart-healthy dieting is not so bad after all - all you need to know is, what to eat in plenty and what to avoid. Eventually, as you continue with heart-healthy diets, you are going to love the taste of your food because you will be assured that each morsel you are eating, is aiding in strengthening your heart and making it function even better.

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