The Heart-Healthy Diet

Make sure your family is eating a heart-healthy diet -- read up on some tips courtesy of Greenwich Hospital.  


What is a heart-healthy diet?

A heart-healthy diet is a low saturated fat, low cholesterol, high fiber diet that can help reduce your blood cholesterol levels. This can lessen your chance of developing heart disease, future heart attacks and other heart disease complications. A heart healthy diet is rich in whole grains, fresh vegetables and fresh fruit, low fat dairy, and lean sources of both animal and vegetable protein, and rich in fiber and limited in sodium. Working directly with a Registered Dietitian can help to customize your eating plan to adjust your caloric needs accordingly.

What foods should I choose most often for heart health?

Whole Grains: 100% whole grain breads & cereals, whole grain pasta, brown and wild rice, barley, sweet potato, corn, peas

Fruits: Fresh fruit, 100% fruit juice

Vegetables: Fresh vegetables, frozen vegetables (without sauces/salt), low-sodium vegetable juice

Dairy: Milk, Yogurt, Cheese, Low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheeses & low-fat cottage cheese

Other Good Foods Include: Meat, Fish, Poultry, Dried Beans, Tofu, Eggs, Lean cuts of beef, fish, skinless/white meat, poultry, dried beans, tofu

Fats & Oils: Olive, canola & peanut oils, avocado, nuts, seeds

Snack Foods & Desserts (limited quantities): Baked chips, salt-free pretzels, unsalted, air-popped popcorn, sorbet, angel food cake

Additional Tips

- At least half of your whole grains should have 3-5 grams of fiber per serving.
- Fresh fruit should be chosen most often
- Fresh vegetables should be prepared with little or no added fats.
- All diary products should have no more than 3-5 grams of fat per serving
- Choose bean, skinless, white meat, poultry, fish and tofu most often.
- Fats and oils should be used in small amounts
- Healthier snack foods should be had less often
- Choose mostly fresh foods, use the salt shaker as infrequently as possible, and any processed    foods should contain no more than 480 mg of sodium per serving.

How can I get more information?

The Food and Nutrition Services Department at Greenwich Hospital oversees food and meal preparation for patients in the hospital. Registered dietitians contribute to the patient's treatment plan by recommending which hospital diet to prescribe. The meals are balanced and personalized with regard to patient preferences and intolerances/allergies. Registered dietitians may instruct hospitalized patients on diet and monitor the effectiveness of the nutrition care plan.

Greenwich Hospital is a 174-bed community hospital, serving lower Fairfield County Connecticut and Westchester County New York. It is a major academic affiliate of Yale University School of Medicine and a member of the Yale New Haven Health System.

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