Heart Healthy Diet
- Include foods high in fiber, omega 3 fat, potassium, magnesium and calcium, but low in saturated fat, hydrogenated fat, trans fat, sodium and sugar.
- Watch portion sizes – consuming too many calories can lead to weight gain!
Choose more often:
- Vegetables and fruits – especially colorful ones
- Whole grains – brown rice, whole wheat products, quinoa, barley, oats, buckwheat
- Legumes- dried beans and peas
- Nuts and seeds
- Lean meats, tofu, skinless poultry, fish and seafood – eat fish at least 2 times a week
- Fat-free or 1% low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese
- Vegetable oils – olive, canola, sunflower, safflower
Choose less often:
- Refined starches – white bread, white rice, white flour, pasta
- Red meats – beef, pork, lamb
- Whole milk, full-fat cheese, cream
- Processed meats – ham, sausage, bacon, luncheon meats
- Preserved or pickled foods
- Tropical oils – coconut, palm, palm kernel
- Hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, trans fat – found mostly in fast foods, fried foods, pastries, cookies, processed or packaged foods
- Saturated fat – butter, lard, chicken fat, skins
- Sugary drinks and desserts
- Salt and high sodium seasonings – contained in most Asian sauces and condiments
Copyright @ 2017-2020 Chinese Community Health Resource Center
If you would like a copy of this health article, please click on the PDF button in the language you prefer. To view the PDF document, you’ll need Adobe Acrobat, which you can download here.
Bilingual:
