If you’re trying to maintain a heart-healthy lifestyle, there are steps you can take to improve your overall health. One of the best things you can do is eating a healthy diet.
The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting saturated fat to less than 10% of total daily calories. Here are simple ways to cut back on saturated and trans fats:
• Trim fat off 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 possible.
• Top a baked potato with low-sodium salsa or low-fat yogurt rather than butter.
• Enjoy sliced whole fruit or low-sugar fruit spread on toast instead of margarine.
• Check the food labels of cookies, cakes, packaged foods, crackers, and chips.
Fats to limit include the following:
• Butter
• Lard
• Bacon fat
• Gravy
• Cream sauce
• Non-dairy creamers
• Hydrogenated margarine and shortening
• Cocoa butter (found in chocolate)
• Coconut, palm, cottonseed and palm kernel oils
Proteins that are high in fat to avoid or limit include the following:
• Full-fat milk and other dairy products
• Organ meats, such as liver
• Fatty and marbled meats
• Spareribs
• Hot dogs and sausages
• Bacon
• Fried or breaded meats
Foods high in sodium to avoid or limit include:
• Table salt
• Canned soups and prepared foods, such as frozen dinners
• Tomato juice
• Condiments such as ketchup, mayonnaise and soy sauce
• Restaurant meals
If you need help planning meals or creating a heart-healthy diet, talk with a registered dietician.