Thread: Healthy Heart Diet

A healthy heart diet is an eating plan designed to keep blood cholesterol low and prevent the risk of heart disease. This is usually achieved by eating foods that are low in saturated fat, total fat, cholesterol, and sodium. The process starts with an understanding of why some foods should be avoided and others are beneficial to the heart. The first step is for the person to be aware of how food affects heart health.

Cholesterol is used by the body to produce VitaminD, hormones, and the bile acids that dissolve food, according to NHBLI. However, the body doesn’t need much cholesterol to perform those functions, and the extra cholesterol is deposited in the arteries and don’t dissolve in the bloodstream.

A diet high in salt tends to raise blood pressure, and this could lead to heart disease, stroke, and kidney damage. Reducing the amount of sodium in a diet will lower blood pressure, and aid in reaching healthy cholesterol levels. Foods high in potassium counteract some of the effect of sodium on blood pressure.

Meal planning on the heart healthy diet is based on these guidelines:

• A person should eat just enough calories to achieve or maintain a healthy weight and reduce blood cholesterol level. A doctor or registered dietitian can determine what a reasonable calorie level.
• Saturated fat should account for 8 to 10% of the day’s total calories.
• Total fat should be 30% or less of the day’s total calories.
• Dietary cholesterol should be limited to less than 300 milligrams per day.
• Sodium intake should be limited to 2,400 milligrams a day.
  
  The benefits of a healthy heart diet are that people lower their cholesterol levels and reduce their risks of cardiovascular disease. A healthy heart diet is a preventive plan for people age 2 and older since high cholesterol could become an issue in childhood.
  
  When following a healthy heart diet, people need to be aware of the nutritional content of the foods they consume. They need to evaluate that information and make wise food choices. People need to observe nutritional recommendations for daily fat, sodium, and calorie allowances.