American Heart Association
Recommendations
The American Heart
Association recommends that you eat a variety of foods from
the different food groups. In order for women to lose one to
two pounds a week, they should consume between 1200 and 1500
calories a day. Men should consume between 1500 and 1800
calories a day if they want to lose one to two pounds a
week. Let's examine the different food groups the American
Heart Association suggests you consume.
Meat, Poultry, Fish - You should consume no more than 6
ounces of meat, poultry, and fish per day. Lean cuts of
poultry and fish have fewer calories than fatty red meat,
but you can find lean cuts of red meat in your supermarket.
Breads, Cereals, Starches - This food group includes bread,
cereal, pasta, rice, and starchy vegetables like potatoes
and corn. You can have six servings from this food group a
day. A serving size is 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of cereal,
and 1cup of rice, pasta, or ¼ to ½ cup of starchy veggies.
So, if you eat Remember here, that whole grain is best. When
you can, choose whole-grain bread, brown rice, and
whole-wheat pasta instead of their white counterparts that
have been stripped of nutrients and fiber.
Vegetables and Fruits - Fruits and vegetables are essential
parts of your diet because they contain a variety of
vitamins and nutrients. You can have five or more servings a
day of fruits and vegetables. A serving size is ½ cup to 1
cup of cooked and raw vegetables, ½ cup of fruit juice, or
one medium piece of fruit. Aim to choose a variety of colors
in your diet because they have different vitamins and
minerals. Let's examine the colors you should include in
your diet every day.
Red - Red fruits and vegetables contain nutrients that help
keep your heart and urinary tract healthy. They also help
with your memory and lower your risk of some cancers. When
it comes to red, choose from apples, cherries, strawberries,
tomatoes, red peppers, and radishes, to name a few.
Yellow/Orange - Yellow and orange fruits and vegetables
contain antioxidants that keep your heart, vision, and
immune system healthy. Some yellow and orange fruits and
veggies include apricots, lemons, peaches, cantaloupe,
yellow squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes.
Green - Green fruits and vegetables help lower your risk of
some cancers and keep your bones and teeth strong. Choose
foods like green grapes, broccoli, avocados, spinach, green
apples, and limes.
Blue/Purple - Blue and purple fruits and vegetables lower
the risk of some cancers and keep your urinary tract
healthy. They also help maintain your memory function. Some
delicious blue and purple foods are blackberries,
blueberries, raisins, plums, eggplant, and purple cabbage.
White - White foods promote your heart health, and if you
already have healthy cholesterol, they'll help maintain
those levels. Bananas, pears, cauliflower, mushrooms, and
garlic are tasty options you can fit into your meal plan.
Milk Products - If you love dairy products, the good news is
that you can still eat them and lose weight. However, choose
low-fat or fat-free products. They contain the same vitamins
and minerals, taste good, and lower your cholesterol all at
the same time. Adults aged 19-50 should have three servings
of milk products per day. A serving of dairy is 1 cup of
fat-free or low-fat milk, 1 cup of fat-free or low-fat
yogurt, 1 ounce of low-fat cheese (stay away from fat-free
cheeses—they have too much sodium) or a ½ cup of low-fat
cottage cheese.
Fats - You should have no more than five servings of fats a
day in the form of oil, nuts, seeds, olives, avocado, and
mayonnaise. Fat servings include one teaspoon of oil, three
teaspoons of nuts or seeds, 5-10 olives, 1/8 of an avocado
and two teaspoons of mayonnaise. If you love the taste of
butter on your vegetables, use a fat-free imitation butter
spray. It really doesn't taste that much different.
About The Author:
Kirsten Hawkins is a nutrition and health expert from
Nashville, TN. Visit
http://www.popular-diets.com/ for more great nutrition,
well-being, and vitamin tips as well as reviews and comments
on popular diets.
