Heart healthy foods

SOURCE ;TOI;9 OCT 2011

The World Health Organization defines overweight and obesity as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health. The most common health consequence of being overweight or obese is cardiovascular disease — mainly heart disease and stroke. The more overweight a person is the more likely he/she is to develop heart disease.      The good news, however, is that even a slight reduction in weight (5-10 per cent) can reduce a person’s risk of heart disease. Healthier food choices and increased physical activity are the easiest ways to reduce weight  DOS  • Fruits and vegetables – They are a great source of fibre, and reduce cholesterol levels. Choose brightly coloured fruits and vegetables like carrots, tomatoes, spinach, bell peppers, papaya etc. as they are rich in antioxidants.  • Whole grains – Include whole wheat and multigrain products like whole wheat breads, rotis, pasta, brown rice, oats, ragi, jowar, bajra and quinoa.  • Nuts and seeds – Almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds are great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help decrease bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol.  • Low fat dairy products – Low fat milk, yoghurt, homemade paneer are excellent sources of calcium and also help in reducing body fat.  • Soya and soya products – Soya contains isoflavones, which help prevent clogging of arteries and improve cholesterol profile.  • Tea – Green tea especially helps lower total cholesterol and increase good cholesterol.  • Physical Activity – Include a minimum of 30 to 45 minutes of moderate physical activity daily – brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling etc to increase energy expenditure and therefore help in weight reduction.  DON’TS  • Refined cereals – Maida, white breads, pasta should be cut out from one’s diet completely and replaced with whole grain or multigrain varieties.  • Saturated fatty acids – Avoid intake of full cream dairy products like whole milk, cheese, yoghurt, butter, cream and coconut as they increase levels of bad cholesterol.  • Processed and packaged foods  – Avoid biscuits, chips, cakes and pastries as they contain high levels of saturated and trans-fatty acids.  • Fried and deep fried foods – Avoid junk foods like pizzas, burgers, fries and other deep-fried snacks. Deep fried foods contain trans-fats, which increases one’s risk of arthrosclerosis clogging of arteries.