By Albertina Belmont
You can prevent heart disease to a great extent just by improving your eating habits. So, educate yourself about the food items that you should eat and the ones that you have to avoid. Besides that, it will also be great if you learn how to cook a heart healthy diet. You will find the following information very helpful in this regard.
Eat Right Foods
Following is a list of food items that you should include in your diet to prevent heart disease.
o Use unsaturated vegetable oils, such as sunflower, safflower, olive, and canola.
o You need 6 cooked ounces of protein food group on a daily basis. Peas and beans can be good source of protein.
o Your daily food intake must also include 2-4 servings of dairy products. However, you are recommended to eat low-fat or nonfat milk. You can also try yogurt.
o Include plenty of whole grains in your diet, such as pasta, rice, and cereal. Eat at least 6 servings of these food items on a daily basis.
o Most importantly, you must eat at least 5-6 servings of fresh vegetables and fruits.
Food Items That You Have To Avoid
Following is a brief rundown about the food items that you have to avoid in order to prevent heart disease.
o Goose and duck meat should be avoided at all costs.
o Cut down the intakes of high-fat processed meats, such as sausage, bologna, and hot dogs.
o The use of organ meats should also be taken in a very limited quantity. Organ meats may include brain, kidney, sweetbreads, and liver of chicken or other birds or animals.
o High-fat dairy products should top your avoid list. Such products include cheese, butter, ice cream, cream, and whole milk.
Some Heart Healthy Cooking Tips
In order to keep your heart healthy and to prevent heart disease, you should also be very careful while cooking the different food items. Following are some quick tips.
o If you must eat meat, make sure that you have trimmed fat thoroughly. If you are cooking poultry, don't forget to remove its skin before cooking.
o For basting, you can use marinade, fruit juice, and wine.
o Use very low amount of solid fats (if at all you have to use it) while cooking. Solid fats include soft margarine, lard, and shortening (fat that is used to make pastries).
o You should try cooking methods that require no or very little fat. Such cooking methods may include broiling, baking, and boiling.
o When browning, you are recommended to use a cooking rack to drain off fat.
o Don't use the yolk of the eggs in your recipes. But, you can use egg whites.
Overall, the basic idea is to eat from every food group - you just have to focus on the quantity, quality, and the amount of fat and salt in it. In order to prevent heart disease, you should eat foods that are low in salt and fat.