Encyclopedia of Diets - A Guide to Health and Nutrition

a combination endorsed by the medical community

and public health organizations.

Description

Healthy heart diets share fundamental elements

about how to prevent heart disease. The process starts

with an understanding of why some foods should be

avoided and others are beneficial to the heart. The first

step is for the person to be aware of how food affects

heart health.

An internal delivery system

The heart is a muscle, and the body’s muscles

require a steady supply of oxygen and nutrients. This

supply is brought to the heart by blood in the coronary

arteries. Healthy heart diets are designed to keep the

coronary arteries open for the delivery of oxygen and

nutrients. When the arteries become narrow or clogged,

the heart will not receive enough blood. This blockage

causes coronary heart diseases. If the heart doesn’t

receive enough of the bloodcontaining oxygen, the

person feels a chest pain, which is known as angina. If

the coronary artery is totally blocked off and no blood

reaches the heart, the person experiences a heart attack.

The narrowing or clogging of the arteries is des-

ignated as atherosclerosis when the blockage is caused

by deposits of cholesterol and fat. Cholesterol is a soft,

waxy substance that is similar to fats (lipids). Choles-

terol occurs naturally and is found throughout the

body in the bloodstream and cells.

Cholesterol’s functions

CholesterolisusedbythebodytoproduceVitaminD,

hormones, and the bile acids that dissolve food, accord-

ing to NHBLI. However, the body doesn’t need much

cholesterol to perform those functions, and the extra

cholesterol is deposited in the arteries.

Cholesterol and fats don’t dissolve in the blood-

stream and are moved through the body by lipopro-

teins. These are a combination of a lipid (fat)

surrounded by a protein, according to the American

Heart Association. Total cholesterol consists of low-

density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein

(HDL), and very-low density lipoprotein (VLDL).

VLDL carriestriglycerides, a form of blood fat

that could affect the heart. LDL is known as ‘‘bad’’

cholesterol, and HDL is called ‘‘good’’ cholesterol.

HDL may help the body by clearing fat from the

blood and removing extra cholesterol, according to

the AHA.

The body produces LDL and receives more of it

from food. When foods rich in cholesterol and some

fats are consumed, the body creates more LDL. The

dietary cholesterolcomes from animal products such

as meat. Also contributing to the LDL build-up are

foods that are high in trans fats and saturated fats.

Fat facts

Food contains three types of fats that should be

monitored on a healthy heart diet:

Saturated fat is the popular term for saturated fatty

acid. Saturated fat tends to raise cholesterol levels

and is found in meat, poultry, whole-milk dairy

products including cheese and butter, cocoa butter,

lard, and tropical vegetable oils like coconut and

palms oils. Saturated fat remains solid at room

temperature.

Heart healthy diets

Heart Healthy Therapeutic Lifestyle American Heart Association diet

diet guidelines Changes diet guidelines guidelines

Saturated fat

Total fat

Dietary cholesterol

Sodium

Calories

8–10% of the day’s total calories

30% or less of the day’s total calories

Less than 300 milligrams a day

Less than 2,400 milligrams a day

Enough calories to achieve or maintain

a healthy weight and reduce blood

cholesterol level

Less than 7% of the day’s total calories

25–35% or less of the day’s total calories from

fat

Less than 200 milligrams a day

Less than 2,400 milligrams a day

Enough calories to achieve or maintain a healthy

weight and reduce blood cholesterol level

Less than 7% of the day’s total calories

25–35% or less of the day’s total

calories from fat

Less than 300 milligrams a day

Less than 2,400 milligrams a day

Number of calories based on age,

gender, height, weight, and physical

activity level, and whether

trying to lose, gain or maintain

weight

A comparison of the dietary guidelines of the Healthy Heart diet, the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes diet, and the American Heart

Association diet.(Illustration by GGS Information Services/Thomson Gale.)

Healthy heart diet