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A high percentage of Americans are overweight and at risk for heart disease. The leading cause of obesity in the U.S. is the consumption of unhealthy foods such as fast food, which tends to be loaded with trans fat and saturated fat. If you can't cut out fatty foods entirely, then it is important to minimize how much you consume in order to maintain a healthy heart and cardiovascular system. Here are five types of food items to avoid.
Some restaurants are beginning to use trans fat free frying oil. Many fast food restaurants publicize this change but you can ask what kind of frying oil is used in any restaurant. If you aren't sure, avoid fried foods at restaurants. Even if they aren't high in trans fat, fried foods are often higher in total fat than other menu options. Instead, choose broiled meats, fresh side dishes of beans or vegetables and non-pastry desserts.
One glass of whole milk contains 4.5 grams of saturated fat, compared with 0g in skim milk, 1.5 grams in 1% milk, and 3 grams in 2% milk.
Look at the food label for the sodium content. The goal for a healthy adult is to eat less than 2300 mg sodium per day. If you have heart disease or a high risk of heart disease, eat less than 1500 mg per day.
In place of these items, choose fresh or homemade alternatives. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables with little added salt, homemade baked goods, simple meals and healthy snacks like whole grains, nuts and seeds.
Foods to be watchful of are margarines, baked goods, packaged pie crust, microwave popcorn and some frozen vegetables like frozen french fries. Be careful of bakery items, too. Baked goods from smaller bakeries are often not required to list the nutrient content of the food. So the trans fat content is unknown. Ingredient lists are required, however, allowing you to avoid baked goods made with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Breaking the soda habit can be tough. One of the best things you can do to help get to a healthy weight is to drink water or milk with meals and water to quench thirst. That way, you can save the calories for healthy foods.
Remember, you may not be able to completely eliminate unhealthy, fatty foods from your diet but by cutting back you will be increasing heart health. Exercising for 20 or 30 minutes per day, coupled with dietary improvements, could extend your life by years -- not months!
Barbara Chevaux is an accomplished heart health and fitness writer whose material can be found on HeartMart.com. Chevaux earned a Master's Degree in Human Nutrition and has been a freelance writer for over five years. She spent most of her professional career in the food industry, where she was involved with researching the potential heart health benefits of consuming dark chocolate. HeartMart is a free website that includes information about heart disease and keys to a healthy heart, including heart healthy diets and dietary supplements such as Omega-3 fatty acids.
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