Diet for a healthy heart

Dr.S.SethupathyProfessor of Biochemistry,Rajah Muthiah Medical College,Annamalai University.

CarbohydratesLipidsProteinsVitaminsminerals

carbohydratesHyperglycemiaHypertriglyceridemia FATSHigh LDLLow HDLSodiumHigh blood pressure

C-reactive protein..Homocysteine.Fibrinogen.Lipoprotein (a).

Simple sugars (Sucrose)

Saturated fatSodium

A diet made up of simple carbohydrates poses a higher risk of heart disease for women as compared to men.

April 12 ,2010 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine

A high glycemic index is known to increase the concentration of triglycerides

Lower the concentration of HDL cholesterol a stronger risk factor for heart disease.

High: 70 and up. Instant white rice, brown rice, plain white bread, white skinless baked potato, boiled red potatoes with skin and watermelon.

Medium: 56-69. Sweet corn, bananas, raw pineapple, raisins and certain types of ice cream.

Low: 55 and under. Raw carrots, peanuts, raw apple, grapefruit, peas, skim milk, kidney beans and lentils.

Refined carbohydrates like white bread and pasta

Table sugar, fruit juice, brown sugar, honey, corn syrup, fructose

the sugar found in milk and maltose.

High-fiber (high-cellulose) vegetable foods are the healthiest choices

Lowered incidences of hypertension, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, etc. Examples are lettuce and broccoli.

Examples of low-fiber, complex carbs are banana, tomato, squash and all cereals and grains ,potatoes and rice

No to fruit juice but eat whole fruit

The American Heart Association recommends foods with little or no salt to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Aim to eat less than 1,500 mg of sodium per day.

1/4 teaspoon salt = 600 mg sodium

1/2 teaspoon salt = 1,200 mg sodium

3/4 teaspoon salt = 1,800 mg sodium

1 teaspoon salt = 2,300 mg sodium

1 teaspoon baking soda = 1,000 mg sodium

Choose fresh, frozen or canned food items without added salts.

Select unsalted nuts or seeds, dried beans, peas and lentils.

Limit salty snacks like chips .Avoid adding salt and canned

vegetables to homemade dishes.

Select unsalted soups.Select low-sodium, low-fat cheeses

and low-fat yogurt.Use spices and herbs to enhance the

taste of food. Add fresh lemon juice instead of salt

to fish and vegetables.Get your dish prepared without salt.

If age is 20 or older, to check cholesterol level at least once every 5 years .

Total Cholesterol < 200 mg/dL (5.2 mmol/L) LDL Cholesterol < 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L) HDL Cholesterol > 40 mg/dL (1.0 mmol/L) Triglycerides < 150 mg/dL (1.7 mmol/L)

Total Cholesterol > 240 mg/dL (6.2 mmol/L) LDL Cholesterol > 160 mg/dL (4.1 mmol/L) HDL Cholesterol < 40 mg/dL (1.0 mmol/L) Triglycerides > 200 mg/dL (2.3 mmol/L)

The American Heart Association recommend that you eat less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol daily.

Saturated fats and trans fatty acids are the most important factors that raise blood cholesterol,

Only animal foods contain cholesterol - plant foods do not contain cholesterol.

In animals, as in humans, cholesterol is a part of all cells and serves many vital functions

Therefore, foods of animal origin - such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, or milk - all contain cholesterol

BEEF ( Brain)LAMB (Brain ) Liver Egg yolk

one large egg contains 215 mg

Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts and seeds are good sources of dietary fiber.

Lower cholesterol levels by sweeping cholesterol out of the body

Foods high in soluble fiber such as oat bran, beans, peas, rice bran, citrus fruits, and psyllium seed are good

Both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats help lower blood cholesterol levels by helping your body get rid of newly-formed cholesterol.

But these fats should replace some of the saturated fat in your diet - not be used in addition to saturated fat.

Fish and fish oil - sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

Fatty fish, such as salmon, herring Fish oil supplements may offer benefit. Flax and flaxseed oil also contain

omega-3 fatty acids Not as effective as fish. Other dietary sources of omega-3

fatty acids include walnuts, canola oil, soybeans and soybean oil.

Not as effective as fish

1. Keep an active lifestyle 2. Eat a healthy diet low in saturated fats and

trans fats 3. Use lower fat dairy or cheese4. Trim visible fats from meats 5. Cook with canola, olive or peanut oils 6. Include high-fiber foods such as whole grains,

oatmeal and fruits 7. Limit sugar intake such as sweetened

beverages 8. Limit alcohol to maximum 1 drink a day 9. Include Omega 3 -rich foods such as Salmon,

Fish Oils and Flax seed10. Do not over-eat11. Keep a healthy weight.

Oats /Ragi for soluble fiberFish for omega- 3 fatty acids (150 -

200 gm/week) Nuts for healthy fats -

fiber ,MUFA ,PUFA Vitamin E ,Selenium ( 1.5 ounce / day )

Foods fortifed with Plant SterolsPlant sterols or stanols are powerful substances naturally found in plant to have the ability to block cholesterol absorption.

Studies showed that eating two servings of sterols-fortified foods daily result in a 10 to 15 percent drop in LDL cholesterol levels.

Lower LDL cholesterol levels by blocking its absorption.

In addition to the "mixed micelle" mechanism, special proteins lining the small intestine called "ATP cassette transporters" also play a role in lowering cholesterol by pumping absorbed plant sterols back into the gut.

It can still lower bad LDL cholesterol by 3 percent.

Soy products contain high levels of polyunsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals and low levels of saturated fat

Soy products a healthy replacement for meats and other foods high in saturated fat and total fat.

The American Dietetic Association suggested that in order to obtain the potential health benefits of garlic, one must take 600 - 900mg (about 1 fresh clove) per day.

Israeli researchers 50 milliliters of pomegranate juice for

three months had a reduced uptake of oxidized bad low density lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol

Reduced levels of other heart disease indicators.

The results of this study were published in the Atherosclerosis journal in August 2006.

May prevent heart disease in post-menopausal women

Researchers from the University of Minnesota - 27,000 post-menopausal women who participated in the 15-year Iowa Women's Health study.

Coffee consumption - women who reported drinking one to three daily cups of coffee - 24 percent less of heart disease,

28 percent less likely to die of other non-cancerous inflammatory diseases.

Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in May 2006.

It reduces death rates from heart disease

Researchers from Tohoku University in Japan investigated data of more than 400,000 participants aged 40 to 79 years.

Followed for 11 years, drank more than five cups of green tea daily is 26 percent lower that the benefits of green tea appeared to be stronger in women than men.

The results of this study were published in the Journal of American Medical Association in September 2006.

The current recommendation of alcohol consumption is one to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women.

One drink is:one 12 ounce beer 4 oz. of wine 1.5 oz. of 80-proof spirits 1 oz. of 100-proof spirits

Thank you