The Guidelines Emphasize A Varied Diet Full Of Fruits, Vegetables And Grains
According to AHA, grain products provide complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Dietary patterns high in grain products and fiber have been associated with decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Eat foods high in starches (e.g., bread, pasta, cereal, potatoes). Your major sources of calories in the diet should come from foods that are sources of whole grains as well as nutrient-fortified and enriched starches (such as cereals).
Healthy adults must minimize the intake of foods containing high levels of saturated fats (found in animal products and tropical oils) and substantially reduce the intake of trans fatty acids (the hydrogenated oil found in commercially prepared foods and some hard margarines). For individuals with risk factors for heart disease or existing heart disease, a further reduction in saturated fat intake is recommended.
The recommended intakes of salt (less than 6 grams per day, or 2,400 mg of sodium) and dietary cholesterol (300 mg/day for healthy individuals, and 200 mg per day in high-risk individuals) remain unchanged. If an individual chooses to consume alcohol, the limit should be one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men. People who do not normally drink alcohol should not begin drinking. AHA recommends that individuals get their nutrients from foods, not from supplements.
Diet helps prevent weight gain, obesity
Adherence to the AHA guidelines will also help you keep fit and trim. According to Dr. Krauss, "although the guidelines were developed to reduce or delay heart disease and stroke, Americans who follow them could reap many other benefits. Research indicates these nutritional steps could also decrease the risk of developing cancer or osteoporosis."
For obese individuals, the guidelines recommend a gradual weight loss of no more than one to two pounds per week. To lose weight, you must eat fewer calories than you burn and increase physical activity, such as brisk walking, to at least 30 minutes daily.
Avoid foods that are not "nutrient dense" which often have a lot of added sugars in them - for example sugary soft drinks and commercially baked goods.
The best way to lose weight is to reduce the caloric intake by following the guidelines for healthy adults - a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and leaner cuts of meat eaten in smaller portions. The first priority is to prevent weight gain. Once you accomplish this, you can look into strategies to lose weight if you are overweight.
Targeting high-risk populations
AHA guidelines offer a framework in tailoring specific medical nutrition therapy to meet the needs of individuals with high blood pressure, cholesterol disorders, diabetes, insulin resistance, high triglycerides, congestive heart failure, kidney disease, and/or obesity.
For individuals with high blood pressure, try to lose 5 percent to 10 percent of body weight if you are obese. A modest amount of weight loss can significantly improve blood pressure. "Consuming a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and limiting salt and alcohol has been shown in a large study to have major benefits in controlling high blood pressure levels," according to Dr. Krauss.
In recent years, scientists have been studying individuals who have a cluster of metabolic risk factors for heart disease and/or stroke -- excessive fat tissue in the abdominal region, glucose intolerance or diabetes, high blood pressure, and high levels of triglycerides (more than 200 mg/dL). This cluster of risk factors is sometimes called "Syndrome X."
For individuals diagnosed with the syndrome, it may be desirable to avoid very low-fat, high carbohydrate diets, and to emphasize unsaturated fats, such as vegetable oils and seed oils (excluding tropical oils), rather than carbohydrates. Very low-fat diets (less than 15-20 percent of total calories from fat) with correspondingly high carbohydrate content can lower "good" cholesterol.