Eat Your Heart Out

Eggs are high in cholesterol. Because of this, they have been criticized for being bad for heart health. Previously, it was recommended to limit cholesterol intake to 300mg per day. One egg has about 200mg of cholesterol. However, evidence now shows that cholesterol from the diet does not affect cholesterol in the body as much as we thought.  Instead, the real villain that raises LDL ("bad") cholesterol is saturated fat . Red meats, sausage and other processed meats, whole milk, cheese, butter, and coconut oil, for example, are all high in saturated fat. Because of this, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting saturated fat intake to <10% of your daily calories. The American Heart Association also supports reducing saturated fat intake.  To lower your cholesterol, it is better to replace saturated fat with unsaturated fats, like nuts and seeds, salmon, canola oil, olive oil, and avocados. Be sure to also include fiber-powered foods like fruits, vegetab...

Your heart loves fiber. When eaten regularly as part of a low saturated fat diet, fiber is associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Fiber can also help lower your LDL ("bad") cholesterol. Another benefit of fiber is that it can help you feel fuller longer. If weight loss is your goal, fiber is a great nutrient to add to your plate. Women need 25 grams of fiber each day and men need 38 grams. Foods that are high in fiber have at least 5 grams of fiber per serving.  Fiber up with fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nuts. For breakfast, try having a high-fiber cereal or oatmeal.  Just 1/2 cup of oats provides 16% of your daily fiber! You can get even more fiber by adding on other ingredients, like nuts, fruit, and seeds. For those with busy schedules, overnight oats are an easy and convenient way to get in your daily fiber without a lot of prep work. Simply add and mix the following ingredients into a container (such as a mason jar) and leave th...

Added sugars are sugars or syrups that are added to food or beverages when they are processed or prepared. They are different from natural sugars which, as their name implies, are found naturally in foods like fruit (fructose) and dairy products (lactose). Sports drinks, energy drinks, sodas, fruit drinks (like fruit punch), sauces and condiments (like ketchup), sugary cereals and grains, and desserts are some of the most common items with added sugars. Added sugars may make food taste better but eating too much can also lead to weight gain as well as increase your risk for diabetes and heart disease. Sugar contains calories, but no nutrients. Therefore, it is important to watch how much sugar we eat. The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars to no more than... Men:  9 tsp (36 grams or 150 calories) each day Women: 6 tsp (25 grams or 100 calories) each day Just one 12 oz can of soda has about 9 tsp (38...