4. Limit unhealthy fats
Limit the amount of saturated and trans fats you eat. This helps lower your blood cholesterol and lower your risk of a common heart condition called coronary artery disease. A high blood cholesterol level can lead to a buildup of plaques in the arteries, called atherosclerosis. And that can raise the risk of heart attack and stroke.
The American Heart Association offers these guidelines for how much fat to include in a heart-healthy diet:
| Type of fat |
Recommendation |
| Saturated fat |
Less than 6% of total daily calories. If you're eating 2,000 calories a day, that's about 11 to 13 grams. |
| Trans fat |
Stay away from them. |
Note: The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting saturated fat to less than 10% of total daily calories.
There are simple ways to cut back on saturated and trans fats for a heart-healthy diet:
- Trim fat from meat or choose lean meats with less than 10% fat.
- Use less butter, margarine and shortening when cooking and serving.
- Use low-fat substitutions when you can. For example, top a baked potato with low-sodium salsa or low-fat yogurt rather than butter. Or use sliced whole fruit or low-sugar fruit spread on toast instead of margarine.
Check the food labels of cookies, cakes, frostings, crackers and chips. These foods are low on nutrition. And some of them — even those labeled reduced fat — may contain trans fats. Trans fats can no longer be added to foods in the United States. But they could be in products made in other countries. Trans fats may be listed as partially hydrogenated oil on the ingredient label. Also, many of the partially hydrogenated fats or trans fats typically contained in desserts and snack foods have been replaced with saturated fats. So it's still a good idea to limit those foods.
| Fats to choose |
Fats to limit |
- Olive oil.
- Canola oil.
- Vegetable and nut oils.
- Margarine, trans fat free.
- Cholesterol-lowering margarine, such as Benecol, Promise Activ or Smart Balance.
- Nuts and seeds.
- Avocados.
|
- Butter.
- Lard.
- Bacon fat.
- Gravy.
- Cream sauce.
- Nondairy creamers.
- Hydrogenated margarine and shortening.
- Cocoa butter, found in chocolate.
- Coconut, palm, cottonseed and palm kernel oils.
|
When you use fats, choose unsaturated ones. There are two main types. Monounsaturated fats are found in products such as olive oil or canola oil. Polyunsaturated fats are found in certain fish and in avocados, nuts and seeds. When used in place of saturated fats, unsaturated fats may help lower your total blood cholesterol. But it's still important to limit how much of these fats you eat. All types of fats are high in calories.
An easy way to add healthy fat — and fiber — to your diet is to use ground flaxseed. Flaxseeds are small brown seeds that are high in fiber and healthy fats called omega-3 fatty acids. Studies have shown that flaxseed lowers unhealthy cholesterol levels in some people. You can grind flaxseeds in a coffee grinder or food processor. Then stir a teaspoon of the ground flaxseed into yogurt, applesauce or hot cereal.