Heart Smart Diet Plans

If you want to protect yourself against heart disease, you might want to change your eating habits. The Mayo Clinic and American Heart Association insist a heart-smart diet plan does not need to include drastic changes to help your health. In fact, the heart association calls its heart healthy eating plan a "no fad" diet.

Cut Your Cholesterol and Unhealthy Fats

The Mayo Clinic says limiting the amount of saturated and trans fats in your diet is the most important step in a heart-smart diet plan because it will help you lower your blood cholesterol. High cholesterol can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.

To cut back, the Heart Association and Mayo Clinic suggest you pick fat-free, one-percent fat and lowfat dairy products. They say you should avoid butter, lard and cream sauces.

Instead, the experts say you can use olive oil, canola oil and margarine labeled "trans fat-free" or cholesterol-lowering margarine.

Try Fish

The Heart Association says you should eat fish at least twice a week. Not only is it an alternative to higher-fat meats, but certain types of fish, such as salmon and herring, contain omega-3 fatty acids. The Mayo Clinic says omega-3 fatty acids can lower blood fats called triglycerides and may reduce your risk of sudden cardiac death.

The Mayo Clinic also says for a heart-smart diet, you should pick lean cuts of meat and skinless chicken breasts rather than fried chicken. The clinic also recommends beans, peas, lentils and soy as alternatives to high-fat meats.

Eat Your Fruits and Veggies

The American Heart Association and the Mayo Clinic recommend lots of fruits and vegetables because they are high in vitamins and fiber, and low in calories.

The clinic says you should choose recipes such as a vegetable stir-fry, in which vegetables are a big part of the meal. Another recommendation is to keep cut vegetables and a bowl of fruit handy for snacking.

Pick Whole Grains

Whole grains can also be a source of fiber, as well as of vitamins and minerals. The Mayo Clinic says you should pick bread and pasta made with 100-percent whole grains instead of refined white flour. For breakfast, pick high-fiber cereals instead of sugary cereals and donuts.

Add flaxseed to your heart-smart diet by sprinkling it on yogurt or cereal. These little brown seeds are high in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.

Cut The Salt

The American Heart Association says you should eat less than 2,300mg of sodium a day, or about a tsp. Besides avoiding the salt shaker, the experts say you should avoid high-salt foods such as some canned soups, lunch meats, hot dogs and frozen dinners.

Cut The Sugar

The Heart Association says you should also cut back on foods and beverages with added sugar. The calories for sugary drinks can really add up, and you need to avoid the sweeteners they contain, such as sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose, dextrose and high-fructose corn syrup.

The Mayo Clinic advises that, if you are going to buy frozen fruit, make sure it does not have a lot of added sugar; and buy fruit that is canned in juice or water rather than heavy syrup.

Overall

Both groups say portion control is an important part of a heart-smart diet plan, because controlling portions will help you stay at a healthy weight. You can have occasional indulgences but do not make them a habit.