What is a good heart healthy diet

Health | Kim Lean | December 6, 2009 at 12:01 am

The foods below are recommended for people with heart failure because these foods are typically low in salt, saturated fat and cholesterol. Learn to read food labels to help you choose heart-healthier foods when you shop.

  • Fruits
      • Fresh: canned or frozen
  • Vegetables
      • Fresh or frozen (avoid sauce or flavor pouches, which add salt and fat).
      Canned is OK if unsalted or rinsed
  • Meats, poultry, fish Fresh or frozen fish (not breaded)
      Canned tuna and salmon (unsalted or rinsed)
      Chicken or turkey, both with the skin removed
      Lean cuts of beef, veal, pork or lamb (trim away all fat)
      Meat substitutes Dried beans, peas, lentils (not canned)
      Tofu (soybean curd)
      Nuts or seeds (unsalted, dry-roasted), such as sunflower seeds, peanuts, almonds and walnuts (Eat nuts in small amounts because they’re high in fat and calories.)
      Unsalted peanut butter
  • Drinks
      • Fruit juices, fresh, frozen or canned
      Canned low-sodium or no-salt-added tomato and vegetable juice
      Breakfast drink, powder or liquid (limit to 1 cup/day)/ol>

        Lemonade (frozen concentrate or fresh)
        tea and coffee in moderation
        Soy protein powder, soy milk
    1. Dairy choices
        2. Liquid or dry milk (1 percent, ½ percent, fat-free or nonfat)
        Cottage cheese, dry curd (low sodium)
        Low-fat or part-skim cheeses, such as ricotta and mozzarella
        Neufchatel cheese
    2. Fats, oils
        3. Unsaturated vegetable oils like canola, olive, corn, cottonseed, peanut, safflower, soybean and sunflower
        Low-sodium, low-fat salad dressing and mayonnaise
        Unsalted margarine with liquid vegetable oil as first ingredient
    3. Breads, cereals, grains, starches
        4. Pasta
        Rice (enriched white or brown)
        Starchy vegetables, such as corn, potatoes, green peas, etc. (not canned unless salt-free)
        Loaf bread and yeast rolls
        Homemade breads (with regular flour, not self-rising)
        Melba toast
        Matzo crackers
        Pita bread
        Taco shell, corn tortilla
        Cooked cereals, such as corn grits, farina (regular), oatmeal, oat bran, cream of rice, cream of wheat (avoid instant cereals)
        Puffed rice or wheat, shredded wheat (or any cereal with 100–150 mg of sodium (limit to 1 cup/day)
        Wheat germ (in small amounts)
        Unsalted, no-fat popcorn
    4. Cooking ingredients, seasonings
        5. Corn starch, tapioca
        Cornmeal (not self-rising because of high salt content)
        Fresh or dried herbs, salt-free herb seasonings
        Flour — regular white or whole-wheat (not self-rising)
        Fresh fruits and vegetables, such as lemons, limes, onions, celery, etc.
        Fresh garlic or ginger
        Louisiana-type hot sauce (limit to 1 teaspoon/day)
        Low-sodium baking powder
        Onion or garlic powder (avoid garlic salt)
        Tomato paste, unsalted tomatoes, unsalted tomato sauce
        Vinegar
        Water chestnuts
        Yeast
        Butter substitute (limit to 1/2 teaspoon/day)
    5. Sweets
        6. Carob powder, cocoa powder
        Flavored gelatins
    6. Fruits
        7. Frozen juice bars, fruit ice, sorbet, sherbet
        Sugar, honey, molasses, syrup (cane or maple)
        Jelly, jam, preserves, apple butter
        Graham and animal crackers, fig bars, ginger snaps

      The D.A.S.H. (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) eating plan has all the components of a heart-healthy diet. It’s delicious and varied — rich in vegetables and fruits, with whole grains, high-fiber foods, lean meats and poultry, fish at least twice a week, and fat-free or 1 percent fat dairy products. Download a PDF of the complete D.A.S.H. eating plan. This link is provided for convenience only, and is not an endorsement or assurance of the entity or any product or service.

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