The American Heart Association recommends that those with
documented coronary heart disease consume 1 gram per day of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid combined.
Eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid may be helpful
to diabetics. There is little evidence that intakes of less than 3 grams per day have side effects.
Heart-Healthy Fat
Fat Key Points •^
Keep total fat intake less than 30% of daily calories.
There are 9 calories in a gram of fat.
The maximum fat allowance in a 2,100-calorie diet is 70
grams a day.
-^
Dietary fat should be mostly mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids
-^
Polyunsaturated fatty acids provide essential fatty acids (linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid).
-^
Keep saturated and
trans
fat less than 10% of daily calories.
-^
Keep cholesterol intake less than 300 milligrams daily.
-^
High blood levels of LDL and to
tal cholesterol are dangerous.
-^
High levels of HDL cholesterol are desirable.
-^
Exercise regularly to raise HDL levels.
For a discussion of fat names and chemistry, see
Fats: Types,
Structure
on page
74
.
For more information about cholesterol, including LDL and
HDL cholesterol, see the free supplement to this book available through at: http://roadbikerider.com/nutritionforsportssupplement.htm
.
Overall Fat Allowance
Total adult fat intake is heart-
healthy between 20% and 30% of
total energy intake.
This range allows for sufficien
t intakes of essential nutrients
while keeping the intake of saturated
fatty acids at moderate levels.
The maximum daily heart-healthy recommendation is to get no
more than 30% of calories from fat.
Nutrition for Sports, Essentials of 87