I promised a treatise on healthy eating. I have been reading a lot about this recently. There are great guides available, but a lot of confusion over the "truth". I'll show you some items that I think are pretty solid as they pertain to your cardiac health.
My discharge instructions told me to eat a high-fiber, low-fat, low-sodium diet. I'll do that to the extent that it's good to eat...beyond that, I know I'll fall off the wagon. So I'm all about health "with flavor"...I had some pretty bland crap in the hospital and I'm not looking to reproduce that experience again.
We like to cook, and eat. So I'm looking for ways to expand my culinary experience, getting healthier while tasting new and great stuff. I don't want to be bored and cheating with McNuggets in 6 months.
Much of this information is from the National Institute of Health Cookbook (and good guide to nutrition). This is a great online resource which includes basic nutritional guidance as well as a bunch of great recipes that I will be trying.
Calories and Basic Nutrition Requirements
1,600 calories—For young children (ages 2-6), women, and some older adults
2,200 calories—For older children, teenage girls, active women, and most men
2,800 calories—For teenage boys and active men
This puts me in the 2500 calorie per day range...kind of active and a man.
Basic Nutritional Intake Guidelines:
● Total fat .............No more than 30 percent of daily calories
● Saturated fat ......Less than 10 percent of daily calories
● Cholesterol .........Less than 300 milligrams per day
● Fiber ....................25–30 grams per day
● Protein ...............10–35 percent of daily calories
● Carbohydrates....45–65 percent of daily calories
● Sodium ...............No more than 2,400 milligrams per day
FIBER - Get Things Moving
I have spent a lot of time trying to get more fiber, from natural sources. The best sources for me are fresh fruits, vegetables, oatmeal and beans. I'm shying away from processed stuff like granola. I eat "sandwich rounds" which have 5g of fiber in each round. They are like a pita, but a bit more palatable.
There are two main types of fiber—soluble (also called “viscous”) and insoluble. While both have health benefits, only soluble fiber reduces the risk of heart disease. The difference between the types is how they go through the digestive tract.
Soluble fiber mixes with liquid and binds to fatty substances to help remove them from the body. Soluble fiber thus helps to lower cholesterol levels—thereby reducing the risk of heart disease. Good sources of soluble fiber are whole oats, barley, fruits, vegetables, and legumes (which include beans, peas, and lentils).
Insoluble fiber goes through the digestive tract largely undissolved. Also called “roughage,” insoluble fiber helps the colon function properly. Good sources of insoluble fiber are whole-grain
foods (such as wheat and corn bran), fruits (such as apples and pears with the skins), vegetables (such as green beans, cauliflower, and potatoes with the skins), and legumes.
As a rule, fruits have more soluble fiber and vegetables more insoluble fiber. You should try to eat 25–30 grams of total fiber each day. That should include at least 5–10 grams daily of soluble fiber.
I have found that not much processed American food has much fiber. You have to go looking for the stuff, unless you get your RDA of fruits and vegetables and beans.
FATS - Tasty but Oh So Bad?
I am OK without fried food. I like meat, but really like salads, vegetables and seafood, so I think I can do well in fat land. Here's what the book has to say:
Saturated fat. This fat is usually solid at room and refrigerator temperatures. It is found in greatest amounts in foods from animals, and increases cholesterol in the blood more than anything else in the diet. Keep your intake of saturated fat low.
Unsaturated fat. This fat is usually liquid at room and refrigerator temperatures. Unsaturated fats occur in vegetable oils, most nuts, olives, avocados, and fatty fish, such as salmon. There are types of unsaturated fat—monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. When used instead of saturated fat, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats help lower blood cholesterol levels.
Trans fatty acids. Foods high in trans fatty acids tend to raise blood cholesterol. These foods include those high in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, such as many hard margarines and
shortenings.
My New Food Mission
So what does this mean? I'll put it in terms that I understand.
EAT MORE OF:
Oatmeal and high fiber breakfast cereals
Beans (yeah, look out!)
Fruits and Vegetables
Whole Grains - in Breads and Pastas
Oils - EVOO and its brethren
Seafood and lean meats
Vinegarette type dressings
GO LIGHT ON
Cheese and other dairy
Salty stuff, particularly snacks and any prepared side dish (rice, etc)
EAT LESS OF:
Fatty Meats...including chicken wings...damn!
Fried foods
Things made with butter, margarine
Refined starches (bread, plain pasta, sugary stuff)
Creamy dressings
The Food Pyramid
One area I have been noticing is the focus in the US on Meat and Dairy. The USDA Food Pyramid relies heavily on meat and dairy in the daily diet. This is largely owing to the heavy lobbies of the meat and dairy industries. Other cultures (and vegetarians in our country) have shown us that it's very healthy to avoid one or both of these categories and still be quite fit and get your nutrition. For example, I encourage you to check out the Mediterranean food pyramid - which deals very well with the types of food common in that area, and features very little dairy and meat. On average, other cultures may have no meat or dairy, other than a smattering of seafood, in the daily diet. Incidentally, the level of health is high in that area of the world. And a glass of wine is encouraged (well...not discouraged) with dinner!
I'll close with a quote from Michael Pollan, which summarizes his philosophy. 7 words to boil down your choices for healthy eating:
Eat Food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants.
Other Links: New York Times article.
No comments:
Post a Comment