Eat for heart health

Many of us associate high cholesterol, high blood pressure and heart disease with someone other (and often older) than ourselves. The harsh reality is that one in two Australian adults will be affected by heart disease at some point in their lifetime, despite the fact that many of the risk factors for heart disease are preventable. Fatty deposits in the arteries start when we are very young. In fact, there are an increasing number of children in Australia with alarmingly high cholesterol levels. Of greater concern is that many Australian adults are unable to tell you what their cholesterol level is because they have not had a blood test in the past 12 months. The most powerful thing you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease is to keep your weight under control. Excessive body fat results in excessive build-up of fat in the arteries. Even a loss of one to two kilograms of body fat can result in a significant reduction in cholesterol levels. If you are carrying extra weight, particularly around your middle, commit to losing some, especially if you have a family history of heart disease. Looking after your heart does not necessarily mean you need to follow a low-fat diet, but it does mean you need to be smart about which fats you choose. Limit saturated fat from animal products and include more unsaturated fats from plant foods. Foods that are high in saturated animal fat, including meat, dairy, biscuits and fried foods, need to be monitored and the right types and brands chosen. Fatty cuts of meat are still high in saturated fat, even if you grill them or drain the fat off. So choose lean cuts and trim off all excess fat before cooking. The same goes for full-cream dairy foods. Even though the total amount of fat may not appear high on food labels, full-cream milk, yoghurt and cheese are common sources of saturated fat in our diets, so try to choose lower-fat varieties. Most foods from fast food outlets and most processed biscuits and cakes are significant sources of saturated fat. Try to choose foods that contain less than 10 grams of saturated fat per 100 grams. It's a handy tip to remember when checking labels in the supermarket. Avoid all foods made with hydrogenated vegetable oil or palm oil, often labelled as "vegetable oil", as these contain high levels of saturated fat. An adult's intake of saturated fat should be less than 15 grams a day. Finally, let's not forget the good fats, predominantly found in plant foods such as olive or sunflower oils, nuts and seeds, avocados and oily fish. Choose olive or canola oil for cooking and aim for a serve of nuts, seeds and fish at least every second day to give your body the good fat it needs to function optimally. An adult should aim for approximately 30 to 40 grams of these good fats every day.