Diet plays an important role in developing coronary heart disease. If something tastes good, this doesn't necessarily mean that it is good for your heart.
A sensible well-balanced diet can help prevent coronary heart disease.
If you are thinking about changing your diet to improve your health, it is important to make changes that you will be able to stick to. You do not need to completely cut out all 'bad' foods, but small changes, such as reducing the amount of animal fats you eat, can have a significant effect on your overall health.
A 'cardio-protective' diet (a diet that protects your heart) is one that is based on eating:
Animal fats (meat and dairy) are mainly saturated fat. This type of fat raises cholesterol levels and so increases the risk of coronary heart disease.
These fats (for example, olive oil and rapeseed oil) are a good substitute for saturated fats as they do not significantly raise cholesterol levels.
These fats are found in sunflower oil, nuts and seeds. Essential fatty acids are found in polyunsaturated fats, and omega-3, which helps prevent heart disease, is found in oily fish.
Trans-fats are found in hard margarine, which is made from hydrogenated vegetable oil. These fats tend to be in processed foods such as cakes, biscuits and pastries. They are similar to saturated fats as they raise LDL-cholesterol and lower the level of 'good' cholesterol – high-density lipoprotein – in the blood.
Food labels do not always show that the food contains trans-fats so it is a good idea to limit the amount of processed foods you eat. However, some margarines may be labelled 'low in trans-fats.'
The Government recommends that we get no more that 35% of our energy from fats, and no more than one third of those fats should be saturated fat. In Europe and North America we currently get 40% of our energy from fats, so it is important to try and cut back and eat more carbohydrate instead.
You can check the fat content of foods by reading the label. Most labels have a breakdown of the fat content so you can check how much is saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated.
It is recommended that we eat fish, including one serving of oily fish (about 100g/4oz) twice a week. However, if you have a history of heart disease you should try to have two or three portions of oily fish a week.
If you are pregnant, the advice is slightly different and you should speak to your midwife or GP.
Fish is a very important part of your diet as it is high in protein and rich in vitamins and minerals. And oily fish is a rich source of omega-3, which helps to lower blood fats and prevent blood clots forming. So eating oily fish can reduce the chance of suffering a heart attack.
Omega-3 also helps to reduce inflammation in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease and psoriasis.
Many of the oily fish can be bought tinned, smoked or fresh. The richest sources of omega-3 are as follows.
Pilchards – 2.5g per 100g serving Sardines – 2.5g per 100g serving Mackerel – 2.5g per 100g serving Trout – 0.5g per 100g serving Herring – 1.6g per 100g serving Tinned tuna – 0.5g per 100g serving Mullett – 1.1g per 100g serving Cod – 0.3g per 100g serving Salmon – 1.0g per 100g serving Prawns – 0.2g per 100g serving
Note: on food labels, omega-3 may also be referred to as DHA or EPA.
If you are vegetarian or do not like fish, you can get omega-3 fats from other sources such as: rapeseed (canola), walnut and soya oils;
The recommended dose of fish oil supplements (for example, cod liver oil) is 0.5 to 1g of omega-3 oil, which is one or two capsules a day.
Fruits and vegetables are an important part of your diet because they are low in fat and rich in soluble fibre and antioxidants.
Eating five or more portions a day can protect your heart by helping to prevent fat from building up inside your arteries. A wide variety of different fruit and vegetables is recommended to get maximum benefit (green leafy vegetables such as broccoli and spinach are particularly good), and they can be fresh, frozen or tinned.
Note: the only vegetables that don't count towards the five portions is potatoes, as they are included in the carbohydrates Carbohydrates are one of the three main components of food which provides energy. The two main forms of carbohydrates are sugars (found in fruit) and starch (es, which are found in foods such as starchy vegetables, grains, rice, breads, and cereals). food group.
Apple, pear, banana, peach, nectarine One fruit Melon, pineapple One or two slices Plums, satsumas Two fruits Strawberries, tinned fruit in juice Two to three tablespoons Cooked vegetables Two tablespoons Salad A small bowl Unsweetened fruit juice One small glass Grapes A small bunch Raisins One matchbox-size portion
Steaming or microwaving vegetables, or boiling them in a small quantity of water for a short time, helps to maintain the quantity of vitamins. Do not fry or roast vegetables in butter or oil.
To avoid adding extra fat to your meals, do not put:.
Dairy products are a valuable part of our diet as they are an excellent source of calcium, protein, B vitamins and minerals. Because of the wide range of products available, it is possible to get your recommended calcium intake for healthy bones while following a low-fat diet. Aim to include three servings of dairy a day. A serving is as follows.
Skimmed or semi-skimmed milk 1/3 pint, 200ml Cheese 1 oz, 25g Low-fat yogurt or lassi 5 oz, 125g
Note: you can include cheese in your diet if you eat it with a meal instead of meat, fish or eggs. Having cheese as a snack, or using in cooking as a sauce, can increase your fat intake.
There is approximately 4g of fat in every 100mls of whole milk (23g in a pint). Over half of the fat in milk is saturated. This high fat content is because the natural purpose of milk is to feed young who need a lot of energy for growth. However, as we get older this is no longer necessary.
In the UK, dairy products are a major source of saturated fats. So choosing the low-fat option will help keep your cholesterol down.
Try to keep down your intake of fats from dairy products by:
These foods are a good source of protein and iron, but some can be high in fat.
Choosing lean cuts of meat, trimming off any excess fat before cooking and removing chicken skin will reduce your overall intake of saturated fats.
Pulses such as beans, peas and lentils are a good source of protein. They are low in fat, high in fibre, a good source of vitamins and minerals, and rich in complex carbohydrates (which help control blood sugar levels).
Pulses can be eaten instead of meat or added to stews and casseroles to make them more filling. They are nutritious, easy to cook and absorb flavour well. You can use them in a wide range of savoury dishes and salads or serve them with a main meal.
There are over 20 different varieties to choose from, and each pulse has its own taste and texture. Examples include chickpeas, black-eyed beans, cannelloni beans, black beans, soya beans, split peas, red kidney beans, marrowfat peas, lentils, haricot beans (baked beans), pinto beans and mung beans.
Pulses usually come tinned or dried. Tinned varieties need to be heated up but they do disintegrate if they are cooked for too long. So for dishes that you are cooking slowly it is best to use dried pulses as they keep their shape and texture.
You must follow the cooking instructions for dried pulses. They need to be soaked before you cook them and certain ones need to be boiled vigorously to remove natural toxins and avoid food poisoning. Aim for two servings of meat, fish or an alternative a day. A serving is as follows.
Lean meat 4oz, 100g Poultry 4oz, 100g Fish - white or oily One portion Cheese 1oz, 25g Low-fat cheese 2oz, 50g Eggs One or two Beans, lentils and so on One portion
Although many of us eat more than the recommended amount of salt in our diet, the body does not normally store the excess. However, if you have high blood pressure, too much salt can have a damaging effect. It can further increase blood pressure and the risk of coronary heart disease, heart failure and stroke.
Salt is a chemical called sodium chloride and we do need small amounts of sodium. We also need some potassium in our diets, as both sodium and potassium play an important role in nerves, muscles and blood pressure. Sodium and potassium are known as electrolytes.
Most of the salt we eat comes from processed foods (for example, soups, ready meals and so on). We should all aim to have less than 6g of salt (about a teaspoon) a day.
To reduce your intake of salt, avoid processed food and foods tinned in brine, and eat fresh foods where possible. Use less salt on your cooking – try adding herbs and spices instead. Taste your food before adding salt and avoid adding it to your food at the table.
A small amount of alcohol (one or two units a day) is thought to protect the heart from coronary heart disease in men over 40 years and in women after the menopause. However, larger amounts can increase your risk of high blood pressure. Other effects are weight gain and triglycerides (simple fats) in the blood.
For men One or two units a day can be good for your heart, three or four units a day is fine but there is no added benefit to your heart, and more than four units is bad for your health.
The total number of units each week should be no more than 21. For women One or two units a day can be good for your heart, three units a day is fine but there is no added benefit to your heart, and more than three units is bad for your health.
The total number of units each week should be no more than 14.
A unit is half a pint of normal-strength beer, lager and cider, a 125ml glass of wine, or a pub measure of spirits. Try to have two days a week without alcohol. Do not save your units up and have them over one or two nights at the weekend as this will increase your blood pressure and is bad for your general health.
All oils contain a mixture of saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. The best type of oil is one rich in monounsaturated fat (for example, olive oil and rapeseed oil). A polyunsaturated oil such as sunflower oil or corn oil is an acceptable alternative.
Use low-fat cooking methods wherever possible. When using fat in cooking, use the smallest amount possible (for example, measure the amount you add to dishes and lightly coat potatoes with oil for roasting rather than having fat in the roasting tin).
Choose a margarine labelled 'low in saturates'. If you want to lose weight, a low- or reduced-fat spread can be useful.
Cakes, biscuits, chocolate, puddings, crisps and other snacks are high in hidden fats. These foods can be eaten as a treat but you should not eat too many of them. Sugary foods Sugar can increase the level of triglyceride (simple fat) in your blood. It is a source of empty calories (that is, it has no other nutritional value) and too much can lead to weight gain.
Aim to reduce or avoid sugar in drinks, use sweetener in hot drinks, and choose diet varieties of soft drinks. If you eat a lot of sweets, try to reduce how many you eat or try sugar-free varieties.
Remember – a balanced diet should be enjoyable as well as healthy. Include a wide variety of foods as it is the day-to-day choices that are important, not occasional treats.
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