With so many food promising to reduce cholesterol and fight disease, it’s hard to separate fact from fiction. Are you getting the nutrition you need? Or are some foods tasty fakes?
What you eat affects your risk of heart disease. But you may need a little help with your grocery list to sort through the confusing health claims, food ads and false advice. We put together a line-up of heart-healthy picks, as well as some that – surprise! – aren’t all that they claim to be.
- Fatty Fish… The real deal! Fatty fish like salmon, lake or rainbow trout, herring, anchovies, sardines, albacore tuna and tuna steaks are packed with heart-shielding omega-3 fatty acids. The American Heart Association (AHA) advises Americans to eat fish at least twice a week. That’s because coldwater fish and their omega-3 fats reduce the inflammation that precedes heart disease, lower the risk of irregular heartbeats, make the blood less sticky and less likely to form clots, and when taken in large doses, lower triglycerides. A caution for children and women who are pregnant, nursing or may become pregnant: Nearly all seafood contains some mercury, a metal toxic to the developing brain and nervous systems of unborn and young children. Too much mercury could lead to brain damage and learning impairments.
The Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency warned at-risk groups to avoid the four fish most heavily contaminated with mercury: · Swordfish · King mackerel · Shark · Tilefish Albacore tuna and tuna steaks are fifth, so eat 6 ounces or less and feed children only one small portion weekly.
- Fat-Free Pretzels… Imposter! Fat-free doesn’t guarantee goodness. A food earns its heart-healthy status because of the nutrients it has: fiber, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats and phytochemicals (disease-fighting compounds in plant foods). Most pretzels, crackers and other snack foods have none. Pretzels made with white flour are fiber-poor and heavily salted. Scour your market’s shelves and you might find pretzels and crackers with whole-wheat flour as the first ingredient. They’ll nourish your body with more fiber and other nutrients, but you’ll probably still hit the ceiling with sodium.
The Institute of Medicine recommends an upper limit of 2,300 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day for healthy adults. An ideal amount is closer to 1,500 mg daily. When sodium in the diet increases, so does blood pressure, even in healthy people.
- Granola and Cereal Bars … Read the fine print! Granola was probably the original health food. Loaded with oats, fruit and nuts, it should be high on everyone’s list. But with our insatiable desire for food that is quick, portable and ultra-sweet, manufacturers have given us a new breed of granola and cereal bars with refined grains and added sugars as the main ingredients. Many are just candy bars in a health-food wrapper. Choose granola or cereal bars that list whole oats or another whole grain as a first ingredient, and steer clear of those with partially hydrogenated oils (also known as heart-damaging trans fats).
Scan the “Nutrition Facts” panel for a brand that has at least 3 grams of fiber per serving or a minimum of 1 gram for each 50 calories. Studies confirm that oatmeal – a breakfast favorite – can help lower blood cholesterol. It doesn’t matter if the oats are steel-cut, old-fashioned, quick or instant. All three parts of the grain – germ, bran and endosperm – remain after processing.
- Turkey Dogs and Sausages… Imposter! They may sound more virtuous than their beef or pork brothers, but they’re still processed meats. Turkey links are bursting with sodium (think high blood pressure) and other additives. Some have less saturated fat, but many don’t. It’s okay to throw a turkey dog on the grill occasionally or to spice up dinner with some lean turkey sausage, but remember: They’re no health food.
- Beans The real deal! … When you were in grade school, you learned that “beans, beans are good for the heart.” But you probably didn’t learn why. They’re naturally chock full of blood pressure-lowering potassium and magnesium, heart-friendly folate, cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber and more.
The 2005 U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends three cups of beans and other legumes weekly. Eat at least four servings of beans weekly and you’ll lower the risk of coronary heart disease by 22%, according to a study of nearly 10,000 Americans. So fill up on those garbanzos, pintos, limas and great northern. They’re an excellent way to stay lean, increase longevity and decrease your risk of certain cancers.
- Banana Chips… Imposter! What could be more wholesome than a fresh banana? Not much. Bananas are loaded with fiber and blood pressure-lowering potassium. But banana chips? They’re fried and full of sugar. Sure, the label says all-natural. But natural or not, the extra oils and sugars just add calories and fats. Next time you’re shopping for groceries, choose bananas that still look like bananas.
- Nuts… The real deal! Nuts give us healthy fats, protein, fiber, minerals and vitamin E. This vitamin wedges itself in our cell membranes and offers protection from damaging free radicals – probably protecting us from heart disease and other conditions, such as cancer and eye disease. Eat nuts at least four times a week to lower your risk of developing coronary heart disease by 37%. Each extra serving drops your risk another 8%. Walnuts, in particular, pack a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids. They’re not the same powerful omega-3s found in fish, but this plant type shows promise in guarding the heart.
Nuts aren’t just a snack (or bar) food either. Add a sprinkling to salads, vegetables, rice and more. Spread peanut butter and other nut butters on whole-grain bread or crackers; dab some on banana or apple slices.
- Cholesterol-Free Shortening and Stick Margarine … Imposter! Cholesterol-free doesn’t ensure a nutritionist’s seal of approval. Cholesterol-free or not, solid fats are full of heart-harming saturated fats or trans fats or both. Each signals your liver to make more cholesterol and increases your risk of heart disease. If a label boasts “cholesterol-free,” inspect the ingredient list. Leave it in the store if the product contains any trans fats or if partially hydrogenated oil is an ingredient. Keep saturated fats to a minimum. The healthiest person should limit saturated fat to about 20 grams per day. Your best bet is a soft or liquid margarine.
- Orange Juice … The real deal! Orange juice, cheese, margarines, chocolate bars and more are fortified with cholesterol-lowering plant stanols or sterols, collectively called phytosterols. Phytosterols are the plant’s cousin to cholesterol, but are naturally present in only minute amounts. Added to food in larger quantities, they battle cholesterol by blocking its absorption, forcing the body to eliminate it. But don’t just add these phytosterol-enriched products to your diet, or you’ll probably gain weight.
- Wine… Read the fine print! Good news for those who’d rather toss down a beer than sip a glass of wine. Researchers estimate that moderate drinking of any alcoholic beverage reduces the risk of heart disease by 30% to 50%. As little as half a drink per day lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes, a Finnish study suggests.
For women, moderate drinking equals no more than one drink per day. Men can enjoy twice that. Some experts speculate that red wine bestows extra benefits. Made from grapes with intact skins, red wine provides a variety of compounds that may aid the heart.
But be careful: Drinking too much alcohol is linked to increased risks of heart disease and diabetes, as well as diseases of the liver and pancreas, sudden death and accidents.
Source: Lifescript.com
