|
|
||
Here's a recipe for heart-healthy eating. Date published: 9/15/2002 By JENNIFER MOTL YOU DON'T have to condemn yourself to a fat-free diet or deprive yourself of butter, eggs, cheese and shrimp to protect your heart. Heart disease is one of the top killers of both men and women in this country. People often say, well, you've gotta die of something. But as one of my colleagues pointed out, struggling for years with the handicaps resulting from a stroke or heart attack might be even less fun than dying. Eating well can cut your risk of heart attack and stroke, and you needn't deny yourself the pleasures of life. We used to think that we had to cut fat and cholesterol out of our diets to keep our arteries clear. Now we know that the type of fat is even more important than the amount of fat. Moderate-fat diets, such as the Mediterranean diet, which includes lots of olive oil, can be easy on the arteries. The artery-clogging culprits seem to be saturated and trans fats more than unsaturated oils or even cholesterol. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature. They include butter, lard, beef fat, cream, and waxy tropical oils such as coconut and palm oil. Trans fats are manmade: they are oils that are solidified in factories. Think of shortenings, like Crisco, as well as stick margarines. Trans fats usually have "hydrogenated" in the name, such as partially hydrogenated soybean oil found in many crackers and baked goods, as well as chips and fast-food French fries. Unfortunately, trans fats aren't listed separately on food labels yet, although the federal government might add them next year. Until then, check ingredient lists. It's easier to watch your saturated fats. Look at food labels and try to keep saturated fats to less than 20 grams per day. Trim visible fat and skin off meats and chicken, limit meat to 4 or 5 ounces a day, and choose 1 percent milk over whole milk. Cook with oil more often than butter, and try some reduced-fat cheeses, yogurts and ice creams.
1. Be respectful. No personal attacks.
|
|
|||||||||||||
