Cardiovascular Health: Shopping for Heart Healthy Foods

Womenshealthmatters.ca - Women’s College Hospital

Home

News

+ Health A-Z

Nutrition

In Canada, 43 percent of women between the ages of 18 and 74 have cholesterol levels that are too high. Among women between the ages of 65 and 74, 80 percent have high cholesterol levels. According to Health Canada, three-quarters of all Canadians do not know that elevated blood cholesterol contributes to heart disease. And only slightly more than half of Canadians know that changing their fat intake can lower their blood cholesterol levels.

Diets high in fat, especially saturated fat, have been linked to high levels of blood cholesterol. Healthy eating reduces the risk of problems like heart disease, cancer, obesity, high blood pressure and other disorders.

Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide recommends that consumers choose the following foods:

low-fat foods
whole grain and enriched breads and cereals
dark green and orange vegetables
orange fruits
low-fat milk products
leaner meats, poultry and fish
dried peas, beans and lentils

Shopping for Groceries

Your diet is very important to heart health. Check Canada’s Food Guide to make sure you choose foods from all the food groups, within the recommended amounts, that you are not eating too much salt, and that you are getting adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals.

Read the nutrition information panel on food packages to find out about the nutritional value of a food. Health Canada requires that almost all prepackaged foods include a "Nutrition Facts” box, which provides information about the food’s nutrients. These are nutrients that consumers and health professionals consider important to the health of Canadians. The “Nutrition Facts” box also lists the total amount of calories, fat (including saturated and trans fats), cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates (including fibre and sugars), protein, and vitamins and minerals. It allows you to compare the nutritional value of different foods, and find out what percentage of your recommended daily intake the food provides.

Every packaged food also has an ingredient list, which lists ingredients by weight from most to least. That means that the first ingredient is present in the greatest amount. The last ingredient is present in the lowest amount.

Choose foods that are:

lower in total fat, especially saturated fat, with no, or almost no "trans fat"
higher in dietary fibre
lower in sodium

Fat

Fat isn't all bad. In fact, it's an essential part of our diet. It is a source of energy, providing nine calories per gram. It also carries vitamins and enhances the flavour of food. The key is to limit the amount of fat you eat and understand how the different kinds of fat affect your heart's health.

There are four kinds of fat: polyunsaturated and monounsaturated (both unsaturated fats, which can lower your risk of heart disease and be relatively healthy when used in moderation), and saturated and trans fats (which can increase your risk of heart disease).

Unsaturated Fats
Unsaturated fats are liquid when they are at room temperature. They can be polyunsaturated or monounsaturated.

Polyunsaturated fat
Polyunsaturated fats play an important role in your diet. They are a valuable source of essential fatty acids, and have been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels. Polyunsaturated fats are found in sunflower, safflower, corn, sesame and soybean oils, as well as fish oils.

Omega 3 fatty acids are one type of polyunsaturated fat. Dietitians recommend that we include more Omega 3 fat in our diet. Omega 3s appear to protect the heart by making blood cells less sticky, helping to lower triglyceride levels, and helping to prevent erratic heartbeats. Dietary sources of Omega 3s include fatty fish, such as herring, mackerel, salmon and bluefish. Plant-based sources of Omega 3s include green leafy vegetables, walnuts, flaxseed, soy and canola oils.
Monounsaturated fat
Monounsaturated fats also help to lower blood cholesterol levels. They are found in olive and canola oil, peanuts and peanut oil, as well as avocados.

Saturated and Trans Fats
Saturated and trans fats have been shown to raise blood cholesterol levels and increase a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Saturated and trans fats are solid at room temperature.

Saturated fat
Saturated fat is found in many foods but in higher quantities in animal products, such as butter, lard, meat and regular (not low-fat) dairy products. High amounts of saturated fat are also found in vegetable-based products such as coconut and palm oil.
Trans fat
Trans fat is often found in foods like shortening, cookies, doughnuts, french fries, croissants, crackers and some margarines. It is formed when liquid oils are hardened through a process called hydrogenation, to allow these oils to keep for a long time. A small percentage of trans fats also occur naturally in animal products, but at much lower levels. Trans fat has been shown to raise a person’s blood cholesterol. Look for foods that are low in saturated fat and contain virtually no trans fats. Virtually all packaged foods produced and sold in Canada now list the amount of saturated fat and trans fats in the "Nutrition Facts” box. You can find out if trans fat is in a product by looking for words such as "hydrogenated vegetable oil" or "vegetable oil shortening," which indicate the presence of trans fat.

Cholesterol
Dietary cholesterol is found in animal and dairy products. Foods from plants, such as vegetables, do not contain cholesterol. Examples of high-cholesterol foods include egg yolks, full-fat dairy products, processed meats and organ meats.

There are two main types of blood cholesterol: LDL and HDL. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is known as the "bad" cholesterol. LDL builds up on the artery walls and can increase a person’s risk of heart disease and stroke. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is known as the "good" cholesterol. HDL carries excess cholesterol back to the liver, to be excreted by the body.

How Much Fat Should You Eat?
According to Health Canada, no more than 30 percent of your total calories should come from fat. For the average adult female, that's about 65 grams per day. (This includes both the fat hidden in food and the fat added to food). If you are pregnant or nursing, check with a dietitian for appropriate amounts.

Nutrition Claims About Fat
Many product packages highlight the nutritional value of the product by making a nutrition claim, such as "low in saturated fat." The Canadian government sets rules for the use of such claims. The product must meet certain standards and give more information on the nutrient elsewhere on the package. Here's what some common nutrition claims mean:

"Low in saturated fat" means that there are no more than 2 grams of saturated fat and trans fat combined per serving.

"Trans fat free" or "non-hydrogenated" mean that the food contains virtually no trans fat.

"Low in fat" means that there are no more than 3 grams of fat per serving.

"Fat-free" means no more than 0.5 grams of fat per serving.

"Cholesterol-free" means no more than 2 milligrams of cholesterol per 100 grams. Also, the food must qualify as "low in saturated fat."

"Low in cholesterol" means no more than 20 milligrams of cholesterol per serving, or per 100 grams if the food is a prepackaged meal. Also, the food must qualify as "low in saturated fat."

"Extra-lean" ground beef means no more than 10 percent fat content based on weight.

"Lean" ground beef means no more than 17 percent fat content based on weight.

"Medium" ground beef means no more than 23 percent fat content based on weight.

"Regular" ground beef means no more than 30 percent fat content based on weight.

"Light" does not always describe a healthier food. When you see this word, look for a statement that describes exactly what the product is "light" in. It may be describing a product's colour, taste or texture, or it can refer to fat, sugar, salt or calorie content.

Some oils to watch for: "Hydrogenated oil" means that the oil in the food has been hardened through a process called hydrogenation. That increases the level of saturated fat and trans fat – both of which raise levels of blood cholesterol and increase a person’s risk of heart disease. Palm and palm kernel oils are sometimes referred to as "tropical oils." They contain higher levels of saturated fat. These harder oils are often used instead of hydrogenated oils to give products a certain consistency without adding trans fat.

Dietary Fibre

Fibre is important for your bowel health, it may help reduce your risk of certain kinds of cancer, and it is especially good for your heart's health. Fibre can lower blood cholesterol levels and help prevent heart disease and stroke. Because it controls blood sugar levels, it can also help regulate diabetes. Fibre is found in many fruits, vegetables and grains.

The National Cholesterol Education Program in the US has shown that women need 25 to 35 grams of fibre each day. Most North American women eat far less than the daily recommended intake. Including more soluble fibre (such as psyllium-based cereal, legumes like kidney beans and lentils, fibre-rich fruit and vegetables) in your diet is strongly encouraged. Try to choose whole grain breads and high-fibre cereals instead of white bread or refined cereals.

Shopping for Foods Containing Fibre

Here's what the nutrition claims about fibre on food packages mean:

"Very high source of dietary fibre" means that there are at least 6 grams of fibre per serving.

"High source of dietary fibre" means that there are at least 4 grams of fibre per serving.

"Source of dietary fibre" means there are at least 2 grams of fibre per serving.

Salt and Sodium

Sodium may be a contributing factor to high blood pressure for some people. Reducing your sodium intake to no more than 1,500 to 2,300 milligrams a day may help control your blood pressure.

The most common dietary source of sodium is salt. If you are concerned about high blood pressure, use nutrition claims about salt and sodium to restrict the amount of sodium in your diet. This, in addition to a balanced diet that includes whole grains, colourful vegetables and fruits, and low-fat milk products, can help manage your blood pressure.

"No added salt" or "unsalted" means that there is no salt added, and none of the ingredients naturally contain a significant amount of salt. (Note that there are, however, “unsalted” foods which are naturally high in sodium, such as seaweed.)

"Salt free" or "sodium free" means that there are no more than 5 milligrams of sodium per serving.

"Low salt" or "low in sodium" means that there are no more than 140 milligrams of sodium per serving.