You can now add sugar to the list of ingredients that are bad for your heart. The results of a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association indicate that people who eat a diet high in sugar and processed foods have lower levels of “good” (HDL) cholesterol and higher levels of triglycerides. The study followed a group of 6,000 people. The volunteers were divided into groups according to the amount of added sugars and sweeteners they ingested on a daily basis. The study didn’t consider natural sweeteners, such as those found in fruits and fruit juices.) Average Level of Sugar Consumption On average, the study participants ate the equivalent of 21 teaspoons of sugar each day. The group with the highest level of sugar consumption averaged 46 teaspoons of...

Part of the fun of attending a Super Bowl party, other than watching the game and hanging out with friends, is enjoying the food. This event can turn into a non-stop snackfest, and unfortunately it’s very easy to go into automatic mode at one of these events and lose track of how much you’re eating. Fun foods can be part of a heart-healthy diet, and you don’t have to feel deprived on Super Bowl Sunday. If you are hosting the party, plan to offer a variety of foods to your guests during the event, including ones that are high in fiber and low in fat. Fresh vegetables combined with a dip made from low-fat ingredients are popular. Choose low-fat Ranch dip, salsa or hummus. Black bean dip is a good choice if you want to have a few chips or nachos. Guacamole is a popular Super...

As of January 1, 2010, California restaurant owners are legally banned from using trans fats in their products. Bakeries are also required to comply with the legislation, but have until 2011 to stop using trans fats in their products. Trans fats are made from vegetable oil. Hydrogen is added to this ingredient, and the resulting compound is used in shortening, as well a number of prepared foods. The new California law specifically bans artificial trans fats from being used. Butter, which contains natural trans fats, is not included on the list. If you take a look at the ingredients in cookies and crackers, you will probably see the word “hydrogenated” on the list. Eating a diet high in trans fats (and there are some people who claim that we shouldn’t be consuming any) con...

Including high fiber foods in your diet can help to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of developing heart disease. The two types of dietary fiber are soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble Fiber For heart health, include foods containing soluble fiber in your diet. This type absorbs liquid and acts as a natural stool-softener. Another way that consuming soluble fiber helps to keep the heart healthy has to do with the way that it binds with bile acids, which are found in the intestinal tract. Bile acids contain cholesterol, and the body absorbs a certain amount of them naturally. When a sufficient amount of soluble fiber is consumed, a higher amount of bile acids are excreted and cholesterol levels are lowered. The following foods contain soluble fiber: Apples Barley Beans Carrots Citrus...

The Holiday Season is a time for celebrating with friends and family. We extend good wishes to people we know and look forward to a New Year full of promise. Part of the celebration involves eating special foods that we don’t enjoy at other times of the year. With a bit of planning, you can follow a heart healthy diet at holiday gatherings. 1. Eat something before you head out. Make a point of having a snack before you go to a holiday party. If you aren’t famished by the time you arrive, it will be easier to avoid overindulging in high-fat foods. A container of yogurt, some low-fat cheese or some hummus and whole wheat crackers are good choices. 2. Put lean cuts of meat on your plate. Turkey is a good choice, since it is low in fat. To keep the fat content down, stick to white ...

When it comes to heart-healthy diets, there are lots of ways that you can make better choices that will improve your health. One thing you can do is consume less saturated and trans fats in your diet. Taking this step will lower your cholesterol levels, as well as your risk of developing heart disease. If you want to lower your fat intake, focus on solid fats first. You can reduce the amount of butter, margarine or shortening that you are using to cook with. Cut back instead of trying to give up with way of preparing food entirely. The idea is to make changes that you can adopt as permanent lifestyle changes, not do something for a short time only. Be creative and substitute other foods for butter and margarine; for example use a cooking spray to avoid adding extra fat and calories to your...