By Laurie Sanchez, February 10, 2011
Want to boost your heart health and lose weight? With a few simple diet changes, you can do both. In recognition of American Heart Month, here are tasty heart-healthy diet tips:
You should live a heart-healthy lifestyle and lose excess weight.
It's possible to do both at once.
Cardiologist James Beckerman, M.D., makes heart health a happy side effect of weight control in his new book, The Flex Diet: Design Your Own Weight Loss Plan (Touchstone).
Heart problems can develop gradually with common problems like hypertension, high cholesterol levels, weight gain or diabetes, says Beckerman, a specialist at at Providence Heart and Vascular Institute in Portland, Ore.
But don't wait until trouble shows up to start protecting your most precious organ.
"Heart disease is 80% preventable," Beckerman says.
Here are 8 simple dietary changes that do double-duty: They stave off heart-disease and help you lose weight.
1. Enjoy almonds.
Nuts are a great source of monounsaturated fats, which are linked to reduced heart-disease risk and low-density lipoproteins (LDL or "bad") cholesterol, Beckerman notes.
And almonds may be the healthiest of them.
"Compared to other nuts, they're highest in protein and vitamins," and they're the best for weight loss, Beckerman says. Heart-healthy diet tip: Almonds rank low on the glycemic index (they don't spike blood sugar levels, which can lead to cravings). And they're so filling that a handful can keep you full till your next meal.
Almonds are calorie-dense, so watch your portions. Beckerman recommends about 20 (or 1 ounce) for a substantial snack.
Choose low-salt or salt-free almonds, because sometimes they're prepared with a lot of sodium.
2. Avoid non-dairy creamers
Those tiny containers are a convenient way of lightening your java, but they're also a sneaky source of bad fats, Beckerman says.
That's because they can include saturated fats (which are found in foods such as red meat, dairy and coconut oil), and may raise your LDL levels. Even worse are trans fats, chemically altered oils that raise cholesterol and offer no nutritional value, Beckerman says.
Heart-healthy diet tip: "The good news is that trans fats are well-labeled," Beckerman says.
The "Nutrition Facts" box on packaged foods breaks down the percentages of saturated and trans fats in every serving.
But beware: Those numbers can be inaccurate, because amounts less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving can be rounded down to 0.
"That means that if your creamer has 0.4 g of trans fat per serving, the package can say `trans fat-free,' " Beckerman says.
"But let's get real," he says. "One serving is like an eye-dropper-full, so you're likely to use at least four. And then you've just had 1.6 grams of trans fat."
So read the ingredient label too. If a product lists "partially hydrogenated" oils, it has at least some trans fats.
And even if your creamer says "trans fat-free," stick to a single serving, Beckerman advises. That way you know you're never getting more than 0.4 g.Both trans and saturated fats contribute to weight gain, Beckerman says. And cutting out just two tiny creamers per day can add up to 1,800 calories less per month.
3. Watch out for sneaky salt.
Cardiologists are always asking heart patients to reduce their sodium intake, Beckerman says.
"If you consume lots of it, the volume of water in your bloodstream and tissues goes up," putting stress on your heart and blood vessels.
Eating less can not only reduce your blood pressure, but also may ease heart-disease symptoms, such as shortness of breath, he says.
But it's not enough to just stop sprinkling salt on your food.
"People get 77% of their sodium from processed foods – not from salt shakers," Beckerman says.
Large amounts lurk in manufactured soups, pasta sauces, frozen dinners, and even sweets like cookies.
Heart-healthy diet tip: Besides checking sodium amounts, look for "ingredients like monosodium glutamate (MSG), baking soda, baking powder and nitrites [a preservative]." They're a tip-off to high-sodium foods.
Shoot for less than 2,400 mg a day, Beckerman advises.
"If you don't want to do the math, just choose foods with less salt than you're eating now," he says.
"Many of my patients who adopt a lower-sodium diet, lose weight, without even having that in mind," Beckerman says.
4. Choose "real" meats.
Red meat has long been seen as a heart disease culprit, but the real danger may come from processed meats such as deli slices, packaged salami, bacon, sausage and hot dogs, Beckerman says.People who ate fresh beef, pork or lamb had a lower heart disease risk than those who ate small amounts of packaged meats per day, according to a 2010 Harvard study.
All meat contains saturated fat, the researchers noted, but processed meats also have a lot of salt and preservatives, which inhibit bacteria growth and lend them that rosy pink color.
The salt and preservatives might be the culprit, Beckerman says.
Heart-healthy diet tip: Avoid obvious suspects, such as bacon or sausage. And don't buy pre-sliced or plastic-wrapped lunch meats, he advises. Make sandwiches with leftover lean pork, chicken and beef instead.
Freshly cooked meats are more flavorful than pre-packaged slices, so you'll be satisfied with less (and won't need fatty condiments for extra taste).
5. Don't forget fiber.
A typical American gets only about half the daily 25-30 g of fiber recommended by the American Heart Association, Beckerman says.
Soluble fiber – found in most plant-based foods – helps the body get rid of bile acids (which are made from cholesterol). That can help lower cholesterol without medication, he explains.
If you eat the right foods, you probably don't need a fiber supplement.
"Although over-the-counter bulk fibers can be beneficial in some cases, taking it as a supplement can cause dehydration," he says.
Heart-healthy diet tip: Bulk up your fiber intake with bran, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and beans.
Want to find out how you're doing? Beckerman suggests keeping a food diary for a week; then calculate your average daily intake with a Web resource such as GlobalRPh.
Fiber is filling and calorie-free. So if you meet the recommended daily levels, "you can expect to lose weight – at least a pound a month," Beckerman says.
6. Eat more fish.
Eat one serving of fish a week, Beckerman advises. It contains healthful omega-3 oils, which improve cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure and reduce risk of heart attacks.
"But this doesn't include fish that has `Filet-o' in its name," Beckerman says.
Best to eat lean fish like cod or fattier fish like salmon and mackerel – all grilled, broiled, seared or prepared sushi-style, he says.
Heart-healthy diet tip: If you're worried about getting too much mercury from saltwater big fish, eat salmon and herring, which are high in beneficial fatty acids but low in toxic metals.
Tuna and mackerel may have higher amounts [of toxic heavy metals], so eat them less often, he says.
Fish is also loaded with protein and generally low in calories, making it great for shedding fat, Beckerman says.
7. Make friends with flaxseed.
These tiny, slippery seeds are rich in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, and regular consumption may reduce your heart attack risks, Beckerman says.
Heart-healthy diet tip: Take 1-2 daily tablespoons of ground flaxseed, which "appears to be more beneficial than whole flaxseed or flaxseed oil alone," he suggests.
You can eat it by the spoonful or add it to oatmeal, soups, casseroles, or even pancakes (for a slight nutty flavor).
Whole seeds can be stored in the freezer for up to a year. Then use a coffee grinder to prepare ground seeds as needed.
Ground flaxseed fills you and decreases the absorption of fat in the same meal, Beckerman says.
8. Add eggs...really.
Most people think eggs are bad for your heart. But Beckerman begs to differ. In fact, he advises that you eat eggs twice a week.
Here's why: Although they're high in cholesterol, their saturated-fat content is reasonable and they're a good, filling source of protein, Beckerman says."We now know that dietary cholesterol doesn't play that big a role in influencing cholesterol levels," he says. "It's the saturated fat, especially trans fats, that you have to think about."
"And because they're low-glycemic, they help keep your blood sugar stable, so you don't hanker for a muffin with your midmorning, nonfat latte."
Heart-healthy diet tip: If you want to reduce your saturated-fat intake even more, discard the yolks and cook egg-white omelets or scrambles, he suggests.
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