II. Guidelines: Heart Healthy Diet (AHA Guidelines)
- General
- Increase Omega-3 Fatty Acid intake
- Eat fish twice weekly or Supplement with Omega-3 Fatty Acids
- Omega-3-Fatty Acids as of 2021 do not appear to significantly lower Cardiovascular Risk
- (2021) Presc Lett 28(1): 1-2
- Nicholls (2020) JAMA 324(22):2268-80 [PubMed]
- Increase fruit and vegetable intake
- Four servings per day: Slight drop in CAD risk
- Eight servings per day: 20% drop in CAD risk
- Fruits and Vegetables with greatest risk reduction
- Green leafy vegetables
- Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower)
- Fruits and vegetables high in Vitamin C
- References
- Other components to supplement
- Increase whole grains and high Dietary Fiber foods
- Consider Plant Stanols
- Limitations
- Limit saturated fat and trans-Fatty Acid intake (replace with olive oil, canola oil, nuts)
- Limit Alcohol intake (2 drinks per day for men, and 1 drink per day for women)
- Limit sugar intake
- Limit salt intake (<1.5 to 2 grams per day is optimal)
- However, Cochrane analysis demonstrates no benefit to Sodium restriction
- Adler (2014) Cochrane Database Syst Rev (12):CD009217 [PubMed]
- Eggs
- Had been previously correlated with increased Cardiovascular Risk
- Further study demonstrates no increased Cardiovascular Risk