Diet
Eating three well-balanced meals is vital to your body’s energy requirements. Poor eating habits can put you at risk for high blood cholesterol and/or diabetes, both of which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
Your diet should include variety and foods from the following four groups:
- Grain products
- Vegetables and fruit
- Milk products
- Meat and alternatives
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Good and Bad FatsGood Fats
- Polyunsaturated Fats
Found in vegetable or plant oils (sunflower, safflower, corn, soybean, sesame and cottonseed) as well as in fish. These are liquid at room temperature. - Monounsaturated Fats
Found in vegetables and plants (olive, canola and peanut). These are also liquid at room temperature. They tend to lower LDL a little.
Bad Fats
- Dietary Cholesterol
Found in foods of animal origin. Dietary cholesterol raise cholesterol levels when eaten in large amounts, but not as much as saturated fats. - Saturated Fats
Found in foods of animal origin (meat and dairy products), tropical oils (palm, coconut and cocoa butter) and hydrogenated vegetable oil. These are solid at room temperature. Saturated fats raise cholesterol, and should make up no more than 10% of your total calories. - Trans Fats or Hydrogenated Fats
Poly- or mono-unsaturated fats that are changed to act like saturated fats (margarine, shortening). They are used in baked goods (cookies, pie, pastry) and fast foods. These have been made solid at room temperature. They raise cholesterol.
