b e t t e r
HEALTH
t h e w a y t o C
a
t
Bite by bite, sip by sip, nearly everything you put in your mouth affects your risk
for heart disease. “I cringe when I see someone drinking soda. It’s just sugar and empty
calories,” says Klodas, a Minneapolis cardiologist. “Your heart health is determined by one
million little choices that continue to add up.” For example, a
200
-calorie soda can transform
into body fat. That fat matters. If you’re
30
pounds overweight, you are considered obese, a
major risk factor for heart disease. Food high in saturated and trans fats can lead to clogged
arteries and inflammation—the key ingredients for a heart attack. You know you should reduce fat,
mind your calories, and eat well. Here’s the latest thinking:
> > the new basics
GO MEDITERRANEAN
“Switching from a diet high
in saturated fat to a
Mediterranean-style diet raises
good cholesterol and lowers
overall cholesterol in a couple
of weeks. It’s a fairly rapid thing,”
says Klodas. The diet focuses on
fruits, vegetables, whole grains,
nuts, seeds, and olive oil.
Moderate amounts of fish,
poultry, and red wine are
consumed, and little red meat.
GET A GRIP ON
PORTIONS
Taking control of the amount
of food you eat is the most
important nutrition step you
can take to prevent heart
disease, say Klodas. Idaho
dietitians created a system to
control cholesterol, diabetes,
and obesity. Start with a 9-inch
plate. Fill half the plate with
nonstarchy vegetables (1 cup),
one quarter of the plate with a
starchy food ( / , cup), and the
last quarter with lean protein
(2 to 3 ounces). Add 8 ounces of
nonfat or lowfat milk or yogurt
and / cup of fruit.
SHELVETRANS FATS
These dangerous fats raise
levels of bad cholesterol,
which clogs arteries, while
decreasing good cholesterol,
which keeps plaque from
forming. Trans fats result when
liquid vegetable oils are
changed into a solid fat. Avoid
products containing trans
fats—also called partially
hydrogenated oils.
WATCH FOR
HIDDEN SALT
If Americans cut 1,000
milligrams of salt from their
diets daily, there would be
200,000 fewer deaths over a
10-year period. Most of your
sodium intake—75 percent—
comes from processed foods.
Look for low-sodium products
with 140 milligrams or less
sodium per serving.
EAT IN
When you cook your meals at
home, you have more control
over the amount of saturated
fat, salt, and calories you are
serving your family.
SWAP OUT BUTTER
A tablespoon of butter
has about 9 grams of saturated
fat. Switching to a spread
containing plant sterols—such
as Take Control or Benecol—
limits the amount of cholesterol
absorbed in your body and
reduces heart disease risk.
SERVE LESS
SATURATED FAT
Saturated fat, like trans fat, is
solid at room temperature.
However, it comes from animal
sources (meat and dairy
products). Shop for foods that
contain less than 3 grams of
saturated fat per serving.
something fishy’s going on
For years, food companies have added vitamins and minerals to products—the
word “fortified” is splashed on the labels of orange juice, milk, and cereal. The
most recent additive is omega-3 fatty acids, which naturally promote heart
health and are present in foods such as fatty fish, flaxseed, and walnuts.
Are fortified foods worth buying? “Eating omega-3-fortified foods can boost
omega-3s in your diet. But if you want to prevent heart disease, you still need to
watch the fat you eat, especially saturated fat,” says Jeannie Gazzaniga-Moloo,
spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. “Many fortified foods are
still high in saturated fat.”
red u ce y o u r risk i
5
0
%
for high blood
pressure by
balancing your
sodium and
potassium intake.
Eat twice as much
potassium as
sodium. When you
consume 200 mg.
sodium, consider
eating 1 banana
(400 mg.
potassium).
1 8 6 FEBRUARY 2010
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
