Heart -healthy nutrition: What you need to know
Heart -healthy nutrition: What you need to know
heart disease are leading causes of death in men and women in the United States. While certain lifestyle factors such as maintaining stable weight and regular movement are important for maintaining a healthy heart, the food we consume are just as important. A healthy diet is one of her best weapons in the fight against heart diseases and the feeling of being the healthiest. In fact, the decision for a healthy heart diet can reduce the risk of heart diseases and strokes by 80% ( Helpguide.org ).
If you don't know where to start, it is a good start to make simple changes to your eating habits and your diet. Note some of the following tips to keep everything clear and understand the reasons for the various nutritional recommendations.
pay attention to the type of fat that you eat
fat is important for your diet; In other words, you need it! However, there are types of fat that can have a negative impact on their heart health. In particular, transfett and saturated fat are the two types of fats that provide the most cause. These two types of fats can influence the cholesterol level in the blood by lowering the HDL cholesterol level (also known as: good cholesterol ), while the LDL cholesterol level is increased (also known as: bad cholesterol ) in your blood. If the HDL and LDL cholesterol levels are not in the normal range or are disproportionate, this can lead to excess cholesterol accumulating in the walls of the blood vessels, which increases the risk of heart diseases and stroke
The food that contains saturated fats are fatty beef, bacon, sausage, lamb, pig butter, cheese and other milk products from whole milk or two percent milk.
Transfett is both naturally occurring and artificially produced. Many fried foods and packaged products also contain a lot of transfett.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends adults to limit the consumption of saturated fatty acids to five to six percent of their total calories. Transfett's consumption should be less than one percent of the total calorie intake.
say no to salt
Similar to fat, sodium is a vital mineral. Sodium is required for many body functions, including liquid volume, acid-base balance and transmission of signals for muscle function. However, too much sodium can hide risks. If sodium is increased in the bloodstream, this can increase water retention in the blood vessels and cause increased blood pressure. If the increased blood pressure is not remedied over time, this can put a lot of strain on your heart, contribute to plaque formation and ultimately increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
sodium is a tricky ingredient and requires a little more effort and attention to detail when attempts are made to reduce the amount. A good starting point for trying to reduce sodium is to check the nutritional information on the products. Companies are legally obliged to state the amount of sodium and other ingredients in their products. As already mentioned, sodium can be underhanded and foods are added to large quantities without being aware of it.
A place where sodium is happy to hide are meals and dishes that you order in a restaurant. In fact, more than 75% of sodium intake comes directly from processed food and food from the restaurant (WOW!). In order to help reduce sodium intake, if you eat or order away, you do not request any salt additive in your dishes.
Although these tips may seem demanding, your sodium intake will be significantly reduced and your heart will be happy. The American Heart Association (AHA) does not recommend more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, which corresponds to the size of a teaspoon of salt (the recommendation is 1,500 milligrams for people with chronic diseases and even lower over 50). ! The implementation of these tips not only helps to comply with this recommendation, but also reduces the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, osteoporosis, stomach cancer, kidney disease and more.
don't skip the vegetables (or fruit)
As many of us know, eating fruit and vegetables is an important part of a healthy diet. A reduced consumption of products is associated with poor health and an increased risk of serious diseases. According to estimates, 3.9 million deaths worldwide are due to the insufficient consumption of fruit and vegetables (2017). Therefore, it cannot be ruled out to include fruit and vegetables in their daily diet.
Working in fruit and vegetables is very easy! Whether frozen, in cans or fresh - everyone is sufficiently nutritious. If it was difficult to absorb fruits and vegetables in your diet, start slowly. Try to gradually increase your fruit or vegetable portions during the day. If you now only eat 1 portion of vegetables or fruit for a meal, add one serving for lunch and another for dinner. If you slowly put more and more fruits and vegetables on your plate, this tip looks less overwhelming.
The good thing about eating fruit and vegetables - everyone is good! The AHA recommends filling at least half of its plate with fruit and vegetables to meet the recommended 4½ cups of fruit and vegetables a day. Even if this recommendation seems impossible, remember: All products count, dh can, fresh or frozen varieties can help to achieve your goals, to improve your diet and health.
whole grain products, refined grains and fiber - Oh my god!
let us understand whole grain, refined grain and fiber. Whole grain products contain the entire core, which consists of 3 parts, bran, germ and endosperm, and contain all types of important nutrients such as B vitamins, folic acid, fiber, iron and magnesium. On the other hand, refined grains were ground and processed, which frees the grain from the nutrients mentioned above.
fiber is available in two forms: insoluble and soluble. Increased fiber consumption is associated with a reduced “bad” cholesterol level ( remember : LDL cholesterol) and a reduced risk of heart disease. Another bonus is that fiber -rich foods can help you feel full for longer and have fewer calories. Fill -rich foods are usually also whole grains! So if you increase your whole grain consumption, you also increase fiber consumption. Why not beat two birds with one flap and switch to more wholemeal products?
The installation of whole grain products can help improve cholesterol in the blood and reduce the risk of heart diseases, stroke, obesity and type 2 diabetes. AHA recommends that at least half of the grains they eat are whole grain products and 28 grams of fiber per day consume. This includes food such as whole grain bread, brown rice, wholemeal, wholemeal barley and much more.
be picky with protein
For many of us, meat is a main source of protein. The popular meat sources such as burgers, steaks and bacon are rich in protein, but the main sources for saturated fatty acids ( memory : the "bad" fat). A high consumption of this type of proteins can lead to an increased risk of many health complications such as obesity, high cholesterol, plaque formation and of course heart diseases and stroke. A shift to heart -healthy protein sources can help reduce these risks considerably and maintain a heart -healthy nutrition.
Changes to the habits of “meat meal” can be difficult, but do not have to be impossible. A simple tip for the management of protein and meat consumption is the treatment of meat as a part from the meal, instead of the main event . Try to limit the meat to 6 ounces per day, which corresponds to 2 portions ( Note : Individual portion of meat = size of the card game).
In terms of heart -healthy protein sources, the aha, fish, shellfish, skinless poultry and cut lean meat such as various pork pieces recommend. If you start to include these alternative protein sources in your diet, you can be on the right track with your heart health.
Remember to take the simple steps to protect your heart and general health.
A heart -healthy diet will be its greatest protection against heart diseases and strokes. Start using these heart -healthy tips and continuously evaluating your diet. Do not allow heart diseases to rule your world and make the changes that best fit your lifestyle and health goals.
Which of the above proposals fit your health goals?