Choose Your Heart Healthy Diet

Variety is the spice of life. Choose foods every day from each of the following food groups. Choose different foods from within groups, especially foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol (the Choose column). As a guide, the recommended daily number of servings for adults is listed for each food group. But you may need to adjust the number of servings if you need to lose or maintain your weight. If you need help, ask a dietitian.

 

	Choose	Go Easy	Avoid
Meat, poultry, fish and shellfish, up to 5 ozs/day	Lean cuts of meat with the fat trimmed, chicken and turkey without the skin, fish, shellfish.	Shrimp	"Prime" grade fatty cuts of meat, goose, duck, liver, kidneys, sausage, bacon, regular luncheon meats, hot dogs.
Dairy products (2 or more servings/day; 3-4 for pregnant or breastfeeding women.)	Skim milk, 1% milk, low-fat buttermilk, evaporated skim milk, fat-free yogurt, fat-free cottage cheese, cheeses with no more than 0-2 grams of fat per ounce.	2% milk, part-skim ricotta, cheeses labeled 3-5 grams fat/oz.	Whole milk, cream, half-and-half, imitation milk products, whipped cream, custard-style yogurt, whole milk ricotta, cheeses labeled 6 or more grams fat/oz. Cream cheese, sour cream.
Eggs	Egg Whites, cholesterol-free egg substitutes	Egg yolks, no more than 3 per week.
Fats and oils	Canola, olive, corn, safflower, sesame, soybean and sunflower oils; fat-free and low-fat mayonnaise.	Nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, peanut butter (2 Tbs./day, preferably a "natural" one.)	Saturated fat, butter, lard, bacon fat, coconut, palm and palm kernel oils, stick margarine, solid shortening.
Breads, cereals, pasta, rice, dried peas and beans. (6 or more servings per day)	Most breads, bagels, English muffins, s/w buns, dinner rolls, rice cakes, low-fat crackers (like matzo, bread sticks, rye krisp, saltines); spaghetti, macaroni, noodles and rice; dried peas and beans.	Store-bought pancakes, waffles, biscuits, muffins and cornbread.	Croissants, sweet rolls, danish, doughnuts. Crackers made with saturated fats and tropical oils. Pasta and rice prepared with cheese, cream or butter sauces.
Fruits and vegetables (5 or more servings/day)	Fresh, frozen, or dried fruits and vegetables. Canned fruits and vegetables (watch sodium content)	Canned fruit in heavy syrup.	Vegetables prepared in butter, cream or high fat sauces. Deep-fried vegetables. Coconut.
Snacks (in limited amounts)	Sherbet, sorbet, Italian ice, fat-free frozen yogurt and ice creams, angel food cake, fig bars, gingersnaps, jelly beans, plain popcorn, pretzels.	Fruit crisps and cobblers, homemade cakes, cookies and pies prepared with unsaturated oils.	Ice cream, chocolate candy, potato chips, buttered popcorn, store-bought cakes and pies