Eat better foods and take care of your heart by following guidelines issued by the American Heart Association. Eating right will help you achieve a healthier lifestyle and fight cardiovascular disease.

 
  • Start by knowing how many calories you consume each day. Don’t eat more than you can burn with physical activity. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise daily to keep your weight down and increase your cardiovascular health.
  • Limit foods and beverages high in calories but low in nutrients, and limit the amount of saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol and sodium you consume. Also, avoid highly processed foods or highly refined grains and carbohydrates.
  • Eat a variety of fruit and vegetable servings every day. Dark green, deep orange, or yellow fruits and vegetables like spinach, carrots, peaches and berries, are especially nutritious.
  • Eat a variety of grain products every day. Include whole-grain foods that have lots of fiber and nutrients. Examples of whole grains include oats, whole wheat bread and brown rice.
  • Eat fish at least two times each week. Oily fish, which contain omega-3 fatty acids, are best for your heart. These fish include tuna, salmon, mackerel, lake trout, herring and sardines.
  • Eat foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Try to choose healthy foods, such as lean meats, fish, vegetables, beans, nuts, and nonfat or low-fat dairy products. Choose polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats, like canola and olive oils, to replace saturated fats, such as butter.
  • Read food labels and limit the amount of trans fat you eat. Trans fat raises the levels of LDL — bad cholesterol — and also lowers the levels of HDL — good cholesterol — in the blood. Trans fat is found in many processed foods made with shortening or with partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated vegetable oils. These foods include cookies, crackers, chips and many snack foods.
  • Limit sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg of sodium a day, which is about one teaspoon. Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt.
  • Limit alcohol intake to two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women.
  • Limit drinks and foods with added sugar, such as soda.