Heart healthy diet: 8 steps to prevent heart disease

The article is professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor II Nguyen Quoc Viet - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.

If you want to build yourself a heart-healthy diet, follow these eight steps to prevent heart disease.

The amount of food you consume is just as important as what foods you eat. If you eat too much or eat in a stuffed style until your stomach is full, it will lead to an excess of calories than necessary.
Ideally, you should choose foods that are low in energy and rich in nutrients, such as fresh fruits and vegetables; Limit your intake of high-calorie, high-sodium foods, such as processed or fast foods. This strategy can help you improve your diet to a healthier one, resulting in a healthy heart and an ideal waistline.
In addition, you need to regularly monitor the amount of food tolerated in the body. The recommended number of servings for each food group can vary depending on the specific diet you're following. You may not be familiar with performing portion sizes at first, but use measuring cups, spoons, bowls, or scales until you feel confident in your judgment.

Green vegetables and fruits are always foods that provide an abundant source of vitamins and minerals for the body. The outstanding feature of this food is that it is low in energy (calories), rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Vegetables and fruits, like other plants or foods of plant origin, contain substances that can help prevent cardiovascular disease effectively. Eating more fruits and vegetables can help you cut down on higher-calorie foods, such as meat, cheese, and fast food.

In the diet, vegetables and fruits are easy to eat. You can wash the vegetables thoroughly and store them in the refrigerator for later use. Choose recipes that have vegetables or fruit as the main ingredient, such as sautéed vegetables or fresh fruit mixed into a salad.
What vegetables and fruits to eat:
Fresh fruits and vegetables. Low-sodium canned vegetables Canned fruit with juice. Vegetables and fruits that should not be eaten:
Vegetables with fatty sauce. Crispy fried vegetables. Canned fruit with sugar syrup. Frozen fruit with added sugar.

Whole grains are a good source of fiber and contain many other nutrients that are essential in blood pressure regulation and heart health. You can increase the amount of whole grains in your heart-healthy diet by substituting for refined grain products. Some whole grains you can use eg farro, quinoa or barley...
Grains to eat:

Whole grains. Bread made from whole grains. High-fiber cereal (with more than 5g of fiber per serving). Noodles made from whole grains. Oat. Grains that should be limited:
Refined flour. White bread. Waffles Muffins. Pancakes Cornbread. Pancakes Cookies. Chicken egg noodles. Popcorn. Crackers.

One of the key steps to lowering blood cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of coronary artery disease is to limit your intake of saturated and trans fats. High blood cholesterol levels can lead to the accumulation of plaque in the arteries, causing atherosclerosis, which can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Here are the American Heart Association's recommendations for fat intake in the heart-healthy diet:
Saturated fat should not exceed 5%-6% of your total daily calories, or no more than 11 to 13g of saturated fat if you follow a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet. Avoid foods with trans fats. You can reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet by choosing lean meats or cutting out the fat in meat. When cooking, reduce the amount of butter and margarine.
It's a good idea to check the food labels of some cookies, cakes, and chips, because there's a chance that some of these (including those labeled "reduced fat") may be made with oils that contain trans fats. If the ingredient list says "partially hydrogenated," it means the food contains trans fats. When using fats, choose monounsaturated fats, such as olive or canola oil. Polyunsaturated fats, found in some fish, avocados, and nuts are also good choices for a heart-healthy diet. However, most fats are high in calories, so it's important to use them in moderation.
Some fats to use:
Olive oil. Rapeseed oil. Fat-free trans fat margarine. Avocados Some fats should be limited:

Butter milk. Lard. Meat sauce. Cream sauce. Cocoa butter. Palm oil, coconut oil.

Some of the foods that are your best sources of protein include lean meats, poultry and fish, low-fat dairy products, and eggs, and lower-fat varieties, such as skim milk instead of whole milk and eggs. skinless chicken breast instead of fried chicken.
Fish is an ideal alternative to fatty meats. Fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, mackerel and herring, help lower blood triglycerides.
Other low-fat protein sources are flaxseeds, walnuts, soybeans and canola oil. Legumes like peas and lentils are rich sources of protein, low in fat and cholesterol-free. In addition, you should also limit the use of animal protein to reduce fat, cholesterol and increase fiber intake.

Eating a lot of salt can contribute to high blood pressure and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. For a healthy heart, you should reduce the amount of salt you consume in your daily diet. The American Heart Association recommends that healthy adults get no more than 2,300 milligrams (mg) of salt per day (about one teaspoon of salt). The ideal level is less than 1,500mg of salt per day.

Most of the salt you consume comes from canned or processed foods such as soups, baked goods, and frozen foods. Therefore, you should eat fresh foods and cook your own dishes to reduce the amount of salt. However, also watch out for foods that are said to be lower in sodium because they have added sea salt instead of regular table salt.
Low-salt foods:
Salt-free or reduced-salt condiments Herbs Reduced-salt ready-made foods High-salt foods:
Table salt Processed foods Ketchup Seasoning packets

To have a useful menu for the heart, you should plan every day. First determine which foods to include in a heart-healthy diet and which ones to limit.
Build a daily menu through the six tips listed above. Prioritize vegetables, fruits, and whole grains when choosing foods for each meal and snack. Limit salty, high-salt foods, choose lean sources of protein and healthy fats. In addition, regularly change the menu for meals to add variety and more interesting. This helps to ensure that your body is getting all the nutrients it needs.

Sometimes, give yourself permission to eat comfortably. While a candy bar or a handful of chips won't derail your healthy diet, don't let it turn into an excuse to abandon your eating plan. It is important that you eat healthy foods every day, limiting foods that are not good for your heart.
Start planning and incorporate these eight tips into your life, and you'll find that eating heart-healthy is both easy and fun.
And finally, you can consult nutritionists, especially cardiovascular nutritionists, to have an appropriate diet.
References: Mayoclinic.org