Eating for heart health and stroke prevention need not be boring. Through smart food choices; innovative menu planning to preserve taste and convenience; effective weight management; plus the inclusion of some appetizing heart-friendly foods a heart-healthy diet is achievable for all. Chew Pei Gee from the Singapore National Heart Association, says that “with more nutrition information available on food labels more people are checking nutrient contents before dropping them into their supermarket trolley, and as the food industry responds to the rising demand for healthier foods, we see ever greater choice of foods with heart-healthy ingredients such as omega-3 fatty acids”. Adding regular exercise and no smoking to your daily lifestyle will further maximise your chances of avoiding cardiovascular disease (CVD) for life.

Recommendations for a heart-healthy diet

• GO whole grain and start the day with breakfast

The cholesterol-lowering benefits of soluble fibre-rich foods such as oats, legumes, nuts, some fruits, and psyllium have been recognized for many years (1). More recently, the American Heart Association has also identified the benefits of insoluble fibre (2). Besides fibre, whole grain foods also offer a host of other beneficial nutrients, for example, vitamins (folic acid and thiamine), minerals (magnesium and iron), linoleic acid and natural plant compounds or phytochemicals. (1). A whole grain breakfast cereal is a great way to start the day. A study in Finland found that regular breakfast resulted in improvements in blood cholesterol levels, and reduced dietary intake of saturated and total fats (3).

Phytochemicals are plant chemicals that give fruits and vegetables their bright colors, flavors and aromas. Thousands of phytochemicals exist and some commonly known phytochemicals include carotenoids (in red, yellow and orange fruit and vegetables), flavonoids (in apples and onions, green and black teas, chocolate), allicin and thiols (garlic and onion).

•  Use the Right Fats

Experts recommend restricting cholesterol intake to 300mg daily. Stick to low-fat dairy products and lean meat to limit cholesterol consumption from these sources. Organ meats such as liver and kidney, are high in cholesterol, so the advice is to limit consumption of these also. Although eggs are rich in cholesterol, they contain little saturated fat, so eggs are OK up to maximum of one per day, if no other cholesterol-rich foods are consumed. (4).

• Heart-friendly proteins

A moderately high protein intake has been found to be associated with a significantly lower risk of CVD. A varied selection of protein foods including lean meats, soybeans, legumes, nuts, poultry and fish is optimal (5). Studies have found that 25g of soy protein daily can lower total and LDL-cholesterol levels. Including other legumes is beneficial too, as they are a rich source of cholesterol-lowering soluble fibre. Moderate, but regular nut snacks may also be beneficial, as a number of studies have found the unsaturated fats in most nuts, also help to lower blood cholesterol levels (4).

• Something fishy

The 2000 American Heart Association Dietary Guidelines recommend the inclusion of at least two servings of fish (particularly oily fish) per week, as research has demonstrated that omega-3 fatty acids in fish do reduce risk of CVD (2). Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fish such as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon. Eggs with omega-3 fatty acids, produced by chickens fed on special feeds, are also a useful source of these fatty acids. Other sources of omega-3 fatty acids include soybeans, flaxseed, canola oil, olive oil, and many nuts and seeds (2,4). Those who eat few of these foods, or with increased needs, may wish to consider supple-mentation, but check with your physician first, as excess intakes can be harmful (2).

• Fruit and vegetables - 5-a-day!

The nutritional benefits of fruit and vegetables are many, t he most important in prevention of CVD are probably vitamins A (or its pre-cursor beta-carotene), C and E; various phytochemicals including the flavonoids, and sulphurous compounds such as allicin; potassium; and dietary fibre. Experts recommend 5 or more servings per day of fruit and vegetables. Foods rich in beta-carotene include carrots, squash, yams, peaches, apricots, spinach and broccoli. Good sources of Vitamin C include peppers, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, oranges, grapefruit and other citrus fruits and for vitamin E best sources are avocado, vegetables oils, wheat germ and nuts (5,6). 

Tip

Tip

1 serving = to 1 cup of cooked or raw vegetable; cup fruit juice or 1 medium-size piece of fruit; recommendations are that fruit juice can be counted as one fruit serve per day, and to aim for 3 vegetable serves and 2 fruit serves minimum per day. 

• Shake less salt

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for CVD and stroke, and as sodium intake is directly associated with blood pressure, medical experts recommend limiting sodium intake to less than 5g daily by limiting use of table salt and cutting down on high salt sodium foods such as salty snacks, and fish sauce (4).

•  Heart Healthy B Vitamins

Homocysteine is a natural product of the breakdown of protein in the body and high levels of homocysteine in the blood have been linked with increased risk of diseases related to the heart and blood vessels. A combination of folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12 have been found to reduce blood homocysteine levels so boosting these vitamins in the daily diet makes sense (5). To maximize your intake of these B vitamins eat generous quantities of a variety of vegetables, fruits and legumes, and also moderate amounts of poultry, fish and beef (5).

P.S.: Remember to be nice to yourself   - Why not sit down with some dark chocolate and a refreshing cup of tea?

or plain chocolate contains heart healthy flavonoids, cholesterol-lowering stearic acid (the predominant fat in chocolate) and new studies suggest that it may also be helpful in lowering blood pressure. However, all chocolate is high in calories and low in other nutrients, so limiting consumption to just an occasional treat is advisable. Tea, both green and black is also a useful source of flavonoids and is calorie-free when drunk without milk or sugar (5,7).