Heart-Healthy Diets What’S the Difference?
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HEART-HEALTHY DIETS WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Nearly 12 percent of Americans are diagnosed with heart disease and about 610,000 die from it each year. Risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, tobacco use, physical inactivity, obesity, and an unhealthy diet. Heart disease is preventable, and even small diet and lifestyle changes can delay its progression. Bigstock.com WHAT MAKES A DIET “HEART HEALTHY?” Several diets or eating plans are touted for their heart- At the most basic level, a heart-healthy diet is one that health benefits, and while each is unique, there are many is rich in foods that nourish the body without impairing similarities across them. Two popular eating plans have the heart’s ability to circulate blood. It is rich in fruits and heart-healthy recommendations: Mediterranean and DASH vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and lean sources of (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). These two protein, dairy, and heart-healthy fats. Heart-healthy diets eating plans consistently rank as the top two diets overall contain limited sources of saturated fats, processed foods, and are in the top three diets for heart health, according added sugars, and foods with little nutrient benefit. to U.S. News ranking. A review of the Mediterranean and DASH eating plans follow, along with a comparison to the American Heart Association’s diet recommendations and USDA’s MyPlate. Bigstock.com USDA MEDITERRANEAN DIET • Limiting foods that are high in saturated fat, such as fatty The Mediterranean diet emphasizes: meats, full-fat dairy products, and tropical oils such as • Eating primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and coconut, palm kernel, and palm oils; instead, choose vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts vegetable oils • Replacing butter with healthy fats such as olive oil and • Limiting sugar-sweetened beverages and sweets canola oil • Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods MYPLATE • Choosing smaller portions of chicken or lean meat (if MyPlate recommends healthy eating across the lifespan, you eat meat) which includes portion control and choosing foods rich in nutrients. MyPlate offers the following tips to help you • Eating fish at least twice a week create a healthier eating style that meets your individual • Enjoying meals with family and friends needs and improves your health: • Drinking red wine in moderation (optional) • Vegetables: eat a variety of vegetables from all five vege- table categories (dark green, red and orange, beans and • Getting plenty of exercise [Med diet graphic] peas, starchy, and other) • DASH EATING PLAN Fruits: focus on whole fruits The DASH eating plan provides daily and weekly nutri- • Dairy: choose fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, or tional goals such as: milk alternatives • Eating vegetables, fruits, and whole grains • Grains: make half your grains whole grains • Including fat-free or low-fat dairy products • Protein: choose lean sources of protein and meatless • Choosing protein sources such as fish, skinless poultry, protein sources lean meat, beans, and nuts • Limit saturated fats, added sugars, and foods high in sodium [MyPlate graphic] - 2 - AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION lifestyle includes being physically active, maintaining a The American Heart Association recommends eating an healthy weight, limiting alcohol intake, managing and coping overall healthy dietary pattern that emphasizes: with stress, excluding tobacco, and getting enough sleep. • A variety of fruits and vegetables • Whole grains Sources • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Heart • Low-fat dairy products Disease Risk Factors.” https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/ • Skinless poultry and fish risk_factors.htm. • Nuts and legumes • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. “DASH • Nontropical vegetable oils Eating Plan.” https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/ dash-eating-plan. • Limiting saturated fat, trans fat, sodium, red meat, sweets, and sugar-sweetened beverages • Oldways. “Mediterranean Diet.” https://oldwayspt.org/ traditional-diets/mediterranean-diet. The table below compares the daily or weekly recom- • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. mended intake of each food group for the four eating plans Department of Agriculture. “Executive Summary.” In described. Amounts are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th ed. December 2015. https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/ A healthy lifestyle is the best defense against disease. 2015/guidelines/executive-summary/. A heart-healthy eating plan is just one key part of a heart- • U.S. News and World Report. “Best Heart-Healthy healthy lifestyle; combining it with other lifestyle changes, Diets.” https://health.usnews.com/best-diet/best-heart such as physical activity, can help protect your heart. This -healthy-diets. DAILY DAILY DAILY NUTS, SEEDS BEANS, PEAS DAILY DAILY PROTEIN DAILY DIET VEGETABLES FRUITS (PER WEEK) (PER WEEK) GRAINS DAIRY FOODS OILS Mediterranean 2½ cup-eq 2½ cup-eq 5 oz 1½ cups 6 oz-eq 2 cup-eq 6½ oz-eq 6 tsp DASH 4–5 servings ½ cup cooked legumes* 1 1½ oz ( /3 cup) nuts 2 Tbsp peanut butter 2–2½ cup-eq 2–2½ cup-eq 2 Tbsp (½ oz) seeds 6–8 oz-eq 2–3 cup-eq 6 oz-eq 2–3 tsp MyPlate 2½ cup-eq 2 cup-eq 5 oz 1½ cups 6 oz-eq 3 cup-eq 5½ oz-eq 6 tsp American 5 servings Heart Association 2 Tbsp (½ oz) nuts/seeds* 1 Tbsp peanut butter* 2½ cup-eq 2 cup-eq ½ cup cooked beans* 6 oz-eq 3 cup-eq 5 oz-eq 9 tsp *Legumes (beans, peas, lentils) are a subset of the vegetable group but also provide protein. Nuts and seeds are a subset of the protein food group. Cup-equivalent (cup-eq): The amount of a food that is considered equal to 1 cup from the vegetable, fruit, or dairy food groups. Ounce-equivalent (oz-eq): The amount of a food product that is considered equal to 1 ounce from the grain or protein food groups. - 3 - Prepared by Rozalia Horvath and Anna Schweichler, extension educators. Reviewed and edited by Dori Owczarzak, extension educator. extension.psu.edu Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences research and extension programs are funded in part by Pennsylvania counties, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Where trade names appear, no discrimination is intended, and no endorsement by Penn State Extension is implied. This publication is available in alternative media on request. Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. 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