Issue Date: May 21, 2006
A guide to better health with the AHA
Eat for life
USA WEEKEND Magazine's EatSmart columnist compares notes with an American Heart Association nutrition expert on how food -- even the right fat -- can nourish your cardiovascular health.
Our experts
Jean Carper, USA WEEKEND
EatSmart columnist and author of 23 books, including EatSmart: the Nutrition Cookbook You Can't Live Without, is heard weekly on HealthRadio Network.com.
Dr. Alice Lichtenstein
is a professor of nutrition science and policy at Tufts University in Boston and chair of the American Heart Association's Nutrition Committee.
Jean Carper: There is no question that food helps determine whether you are going to have high blood pressure, heart attack or stroke.
Dr. Alice Lichtenstein Yes, we know that lifestyle -- diet and physical activity -- can have a significant impact on decreasing cardiovascular disease risk.
JC: And not only whether you'll have cardiovascular disease, but how quickly and to what extent. Food can help control the expression of genes, so you're not doomed because you may have some bad genes. You certainly can help prevent cardiovascular disease and maybe even reverse it in some cases.
AL: I think we have to realize there's probably not an easy, simple, effort-free solution on the horizon that's going to decrease our risk of cardiovascular disease. However, our behaviors do make a difference: We should eat what we call a heart-healthy diet, a dietary pattern high in fruits, vegetables, whole grain foods, low-fat and nonfat dairy products, fish, legumes and lean meat.
JC: I'd probably add tea to that list. And nowadays, I do think we have a better understanding of fat, that not all fat is equally dangerous but that some fats are less hazardous -- or better for your heart than others.
AL: We have learned over the past 10 or 20 years that it is the type of fat, not the absolute amount of fat, that probably has the biggest impact on cardiovascular disease risk. Fat that is high in saturated or trans fatty acids tends to increase risk. And fats that are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, either mono or poly, tend to decrease risk.
JC: Examples of better fats are olive oil, fish and omega-3.
AL: I would use different examples. Good unsaturated fats for general food preparation are soybean or canola oil.
JC: Most experts would put trans fats at the top of a "most dangerous" list. And because we have new labeling, people can check the labels for trans fats. But they have to know that when the label says zero, it doesn't mean absolutely zero. The government allows 0.5 grams of fat to still be considered zero.
AL: As of Jan. 1, trans fatty acids need to be on the label -- which I think is very good for everybody. The major source of trans fatty acids in the U.S. diet are commercially fried and baked products made with partially hydrogenated fat.
As far as getting omega-3 fatty acids, I think the best approach is eating fish, especially fatty fish. You not only get the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, but you also displace foods that are high in saturated fat by eating fish as opposed to a hamburger or quiche -- both of which are high in saturated fat. One caveat: Commercially fried fish tends to be low in omega-3 fatty acids and can be high in trans fat.
JC: One of the most common questions I get is, "What type of fish can I eat and not have a fear of getting mercury and other environmental chemicals?" That's a major concern, and some people have turned off fish because of it. My favorite fish is salmon. It doesn't matter to me whether it is farm-raised or wild, fresh or canned -- salmon is an excellent source of omega-3. Also, I happen to be a sardine lover.
AL: People want to know, "Well, exactly which foods should I eat to decrease my risk?" And that's not really how it works. I always give the example that if you take a capsule of vitamin E and crack it over a hot fudge sundae, you're not going to negate what's in that hot fudge sundae.
JC: Right. There's no miracle food to save us from cardiovascular disease. That's a fantasy.
AL: But we can have a significant impact on our own cardiovascular disease risks by maintaining an ideal body weight, a heart-healthy diet and physical activity throughout life.
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YOUR CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH ROAD MAP
3 steps to foods for life:
1. IMPROVE YOUR OVERALL DIETARY PATTERN.
Don't look for miracle foods or quick fixes. Make healthy eating your lifelong plan. Begin by replacing unhealthy foods with heart-healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat and nonfat dairy foods, fish and legumes.
2. CHECK FOOD LABELS.
Read nutrition labels on packaged products, and choose foods that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol and sodium (salt).
3. EAT MORE FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.
Don't be daunted by new guidelines that recommend seven to 10 servings each day. Getting that many is not as hard as it sounds. The official serving sizes are much smaller than restaurant portions -- a serving of vegetables usually is 1/2 cup.
To learn more about heart-healthy diets and nutrition, visit the American Heart Association's website at americanheart.org.
Next month's HeartSmart: Medicine's role
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