Is a Zero Fat Diet Healthy

The Best Diet for a Healthy Heart

Creating a heart-healthy diet isn't difficult if you know what foods to target. Certain foods can increase the likelihood of heart disease, while others can decrease the risk. If you're on the lookout for foods that can help lower your risk of heart disease, check out the following.

Select Whole Grains and Other High-Fiber Foods

Foods made from whole grains are loaded with fiber. Fiber lowers the level of LDL cholesterol — also known as "bad" cholesterol — in the body. Whole grains also help you keep your blood pressure in check. In order to ensure that you're getting your full daily allowance of whole grains, you should eat roughly six servings of whole grains per day, as stated by the American Heart Association. Examples of single-serving sizes include a singe slice of bread, an 1/8-cup of uncooked rice or a half cup of popcorn.

Eat Lean Protein

Lean sources of protein, especially those loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, are great for heart health, as stated by the American Heart Association. While your body needs protein for energy and muscle development, eating protein loaded with saturated fat can work against you, causing heart problems and weight gain. Focus on lean sources of protein like eggs, lean cuts of poultry, beef and fish. Fish is a particularly great heart-healthy protein due to its high protein levels, low fat and high omega-3 oil content. If you're vegan or vegetarian, you can choose plant-based proteins like soybean (including soy products like soy burgers and tofu), beans, nuts and legumes.

Eat Tons of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are amazing sources of vitamins and minerals. Add in the fact that they're low in calories, usually loaded with water and have lots of fiber, and you're looking at some of the best heart-healthy food options around. One way that you can ensure that you always have fresh fruit on hand is to keep it stored in jars in your refrigerator. Jars filled with grapes, strawberries and other fruits will keep longer when sealed in airtight jars. One thing to note: if you have one piece of fruit that's going bad, throw it out. One slightly spoiled piece of fruit can destroy the entire batch.

Plan Your Heart-Healthy Meals in Advance

By prepping heart-healthy meals ahead of time, you're more apt to stick to a healthy eating plan. Meals prepped ahead of time are quick and easy to make and to take with you on the go. Don't be afraid to mix it up. One night have salmon with a kale-pistachio salad and some brown rice. The next evening, treat yourself to a black bean burger on whole grain bread served alongside a romaine salad drenched in low-fat spicy peanut dressing.

Manage Your Portion Size

The reason that a lot of us go overboard when it comes to portion size is because we don't know what portion sizes actually are. For instance, a serving of pasta is actually only 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup, as stated by the Mayo Clinic. That's the size of a hockey puck. When many of us have pasta meals, we load up our plates to the edge of the dish. Find out exactly what portion sizes look like so that you can keep track of how much you're consuming.

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