Heart-Healthy Foods

We have no magic pill or potion for preventing heart disease. But certain dietary choices may raise your odds of surviving it.

These foods continue to show promise:

1. Whole grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes – they are low in fat and calories and packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber.

2. Fatty fish – they are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which may help reduce plaque buildup in the arteries and lower the triglyceride (blood fat) level.

3. Nuts – rich in heart-friendly unsaturated fats.

A balanced diet is as important as avoiding fatty, artery-clogging fare, such as fried foods and products processed with trans fat, according to Tufts University researchers. For balance and nutrition, add more of the foods (listed above) to your daily diet and eat fewer foods high in saturated and trans fats and cholesterol.

Top-of-the-Heap Heart-Smart Choices:

Vegetables Whole grains	Whole Grains
Spinach Collards Broccoli Kale Red cabbage Bell peppers	Oatmeal Oat bran Whole-wheat breads and cereals
Legumes	Fruits
Dried beans Peas Lentils	Apples Berries Oranges Bananas Pineapple
Fish	Nuts
Tuna Sardines Bluefish Salmon Steelhead trout	Almonds Walnuts Note: Nuts are high in calories, so limit servings to a small handful a few times a week.

Celebrate Heart Month with a heart-smart eating plan. You can now determine your personal needs for daily calories and servings of each food group based on age, gender and exercise level at the USDA’s My Pyramid.

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Heart-Healthy Foods
SOURCES: “Eating to Beat Cholesterol.” Tufts University Health and Nutrition Letter July 2005: 6.
Healthy Heart. Oakstone Wellness Publishing. Birmingham, AL, 2003.
Personal Best Archives. Birmingham, AL.