People living with heart disease may have to pay particular attention to their salt, also known as sodium, intake. The American Heart Association recommends less than 2300 milligrams of sodium per day as part of a heart healthy diet -- with less than 1500 milligrams ideal for those with heart disease. But 9 out of 10 Americans get too much sodium each day – more than 3400 milligrams!
DASH Diet
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertesnion (DASH) guides people to make health choices as to what they eat so they can improve their heart health. The diet has been demonstrated to help individuals improve hypertension (high blood pressure), cholesterol levels.
The diet focuses on nutritional intake with:
- Increased intake of fruits, vegetables and whole grains
- Eating lean proteins such as fish, poultry, beans, nuts and low-fat or fat-free dairy products
- Using healthy fats such as vegetable oils instead of tropical oils such as coconut, palm kernel and palm oil.
- Limiting intake of saturated fat including fatty meats and full-fat dairy products
- Limiting sodium to <1500 milligrams per day
- Limiting sugar intake including drinks such as sodas and fruit juices as well as sweets
DASH Diet Recipes
There are many places to find heart healthy recipes, including the American Heart Association website and even the National Institutes of Health website.
Riverside Registered Dieticians (RDs) have prepared 2 quick recipes that are low in sodium and part of a heart healthy diet that can be printed out for your convenience.
