Heart healthy cooking
Changing a diet that you have been eating for years is not so easy. The first thing in putting a new diet plan in to action is to take a look at your eating habits and try to replace negative habits with positive ones
FATTY ACIDS IN THE DIET:
Fats are an essential part of the diet but too much of the wrong kind can be bad for your health. Fats may be saturated or unsaturated. Unsaturated fats may be ‘mono unsaturated’ (MUFA) or ‘poly unsaturated’ (PUFA)
Saturated Fatty Acid (SFA) increases both the total as well as the bad cholesterol in the blood (Eg Butter, ghee, coconut oil, palm oil, dalda)
Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acid (PUFA) – Lowers LDL – C (Low density) and HDL – C (High Density) level. (Eg. Sunflower oil, corn oil)
Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acid (MUFA) is a healthy fatty acid which lowers the levels of LDL – Cholesterol and triglycerides without lowering the HDL level cholesterol (Eg: Canola oil, peanut oil, gingely oil, rice bran oil)
Trans fatty acids are formed during the process of hydrogenation. These increase the total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and lowers the HDL cholesterol (Eg Margarine, Dalda)
- Eating to reduce blood cholesterol:
- Substantially reduce saturated fat in your diet – trim all visible fat from meats
- Limit dietary cholesterol – reduce intake of animal products to not more than 120g/day
- Use low fat dairy products and limit milk consumption to 500ml/day
- Avoid high fat dietary products such as butter and cream
- Limit egg yolks to a maximum of 2/3 per week
- Commercially baked goods (cakes, biscuits, pastries and puffs) are often made with egg yolk, saturated fats and trans fats such as shortening (Shortening is any fat that is solid at room temperature) and lard. Consume such foods only rarely
- It would be best to limit fired foods and snacks
- Use only 4-5 teaspoons of the recommended cooking oil per day (not more than 25% of your calories should come from the fats in your diet)
- Regular exercise program may further help in lowering blood cholesterol
NUTS AND THEIR BENEFITS:
Almonds, peanuts and walnuts contain healthy oils, vitamin E and MUFA. They are good sources of protein and fibre. These will help to keep the cholesterol levels in check. One ounce (30g) of the above per day is recommended
ALCOHOL:
Alcohol is sources of empty calories (it includes no vitamins, minerals or proteins) and can be turned in to fat, adding weight to the body. It increases the level of trigylcerides in your blood if in excess. Moderate drinking (1-2 standard drinks per day) may be beneficial. Check with the doctor if it is allowed for you.
CAFFEINE:
Caffeine is a stimulant that gives a boost of borrowed energy. Stimulants containing caffeine are found in tea, coffee, cocoa, chocolates and cola. They may increase the frequency and severity of irregular heartbeats and can increase blood pressure.
A maximum of two cups of coffee may be consumed per day
