In the main type of heart disease, a fatty substance called plaque builds up in the arteries that bring oxygen-rich blood to the heart. Over time, this buildup causes the arteries to narrow and harden. When this happens, the heart does not get all the blood it needs to work properly. The result can be chest pain or a heart attack.
Most cases of stroke occur when a blood vessel bringing blood to the brain becomes blocked. The underlying condition for this type of blockage is having fatty deposits lining the vessel walls.
Foods That Help Prevent Heart Disease and Stroke
- Fruits and vegetables
- Grains - At least half of your grains should be whole grains, such as:
- Whole wheat
- Whole oats
- Oatmeal
- Whole-grain corn
- Brown rice
- Wild rice
- Whole rye
- Whole-grain barley
- Buckwheat
- Bulgur
- Millet
- Quinoa
- Sorghum
- Fat-free or low-fat versions of milk, cheese, yogurt, and other milk products
- Fish, skinless poultry, lean meats, dry beans, eggs, and nuts
- Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats found in fish, nuts, and vegetable oils
Limit the Amount of These Foods:
- Saturated fat found in foods such as:
- Fatty cuts of meat
- Whole milk
- Cheese made from whole milk
- Ice cream
- Sherbet
- Frozen yogurt
- Butter
- Lard
- Cakes
- Cookies
- Doughnuts
- Sausage
- Regular mayonnaise
- Coconut
- Palm oil
- Trans fat found mainly in processed foods such as:
- Cakes
- Cookies
- Crackers
- Pies
- Stick or hard margarine
- Potato chips
- Corn chips
- Cholesterol found in foods such as:
- Liver
- Chicken and turkey giblets
- Pork, sausage
- Whole milk
- Cheese made from whole milk
- Ice cream
- Sherbet
- Frozen yogurt
- Sodium found in salt and baking soda
- Added sugars such as:
- Corn syrup
- Corn sweetener
- Fructose
- Glucose
- Sucrose
- Dextrose
- Lactose
- Maltose
- Honey
- Molasses
- Raw sugar
- Invert sugar
- Malt syrup
- Syrup
- Caramel
- Fruit juice concentrates
Eating lots of sodium may cause you to develop high blood pressure, also called hypertension, which increases your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Eating lots of added sugars may cause you to develop type 2 diabetes, which increases your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services