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Heart Healthy Diet Plan

This heart healthy diet plan will take a load off your heart, decrease the level of cholesterol, and stabilize your blood pressure.

Heart healthy diet is also an excellent tool to prevent cardiovascular diseases.

The duration of the healthy heart diet is 1 to 2 weeks.

Although this diet is based upon medical heart disease prevention principles it will not substitute any medical treatments.  It is solely designed for generally healthy people who have unhealthy eating habits that may potentially lead to heart disease.

Heart Healthy Diet: Main Purpose

The main purpose of this heart healthy diet is to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases in the future. Since excessive weight also contributes to the increased risk of developing heart disease, the heart healthy diet will help you gradually lose weight and maintain it at a healthy level.

Below is a list of products you should exclude from your daily food intake for one week every month.

  • Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits.
  • Do not fry - steam or bake your food instead.
  • Limit your sugar and salt intake.

Foods to Avoid

  • Fatty meat and fish,
  • Meat products with a large quantity of salt (bacon, ham, sausage, canned meat, smoked meats),
  • Smoked and salty fish, fried fish, fish patties,
  • Canned soups, microwave ready dinners and other frozen meals,
  • Canned sauces, canned vegetables,
  • Mayonnaise,
  • Margarine, soft cheeses and cheese spreads,
  • Potato chips, salted crackers, snacks and salted nuts,
  • Fatty whole milk, sour cream, cream,
  • White bread, cakes and pastry,
  • Alcoholic beverages such as liqueur and beer,
  • Sodas and other carbonated beverages.

Heart Healthy Diet: Recommended Food

  • Lean meats, skinless chicken breast, lean fish (such as haddock),
  • Skim milk and low fat dairy products,
  • Fresh vegetables and fruits, dried fruits,
  • Nuts and seeds,
  • Whole grains, whole bran bread,
  • Fresh fruit and vegetable juices,
  • Berries,
  • Rose hip tea,
  • Honey.

Sample Heart Healthy Diet Menu

DAY 1

  • Breakfast – 1 glass of fresh orange juice, whole grain cereal with milk, fresh fruits
  • and sunflower seeds.
  • Lunch – Vegetable soup with the rye crackers.
  • Dinner – Baked chicken breast with steamed green vegetables and wild rice.
  • Before sleep – 1 cup of rose hip tea with honey.

DAY 2

  • Breakfast – Whole wheat toast with berry jam, herbal tea with honey.
  • Lunch – Chicken breast sandwich on whole bran bread with lettuce and tomato.
  • Dinner – Broiled haddock with steamed vegetables and baked potato.
  • Before sleep – 1 cup of low fat plain yogurt.

DAY 3

  • Breakfast – Fresh fruit salad with fat free plain yogurt.
  • Lunch – Tossed salad with chicken dressed with olive oil and lemon juice.
  • Dinner – Pasta with fresh tomato sauce and sesame seeds.
  • Before sleep – 1 cup of rose hip tea with honey.

DAY 4

  • Breakfast – granola cereal with dry fruits and low fat plain yogurt.
  • Lunch – 1 glass of fresh fruit juice, 1 tuna sandwich on whole wheat bread.
  • Dinner – Broiled chicken breast with large fresh vegetable medley.
  • Before sleep – 1 cup of herbal tea with honey.

DAY 5

  • Breakfast – 4 oz of feta cheese, 1 glass of fruit juice.
  • Lunch – 1 glass of vegetable juice, 1 veggie patty with mashed potatoes.
  • Dinner – Baked haddock seasoned with fresh garden herbs, fresh tomato salad.
  • Before sleep – 1 cup of low fat yogurt.

DAY 6

  • Breakfast – oatmeal with dry fruits and nuts.
  • Lunch – 1 whole bran toast with cheddar cheese, lentil salad with vegetables and olive oil.
  • Dinner – Pasta with mushrooms and low fat sour cream sauce.
  • Before sleep – 1 cup of low fat plain yogurt.

DAY 7

  • Breakfast – Whole bran toast with cottage cheese, fresh fruits.
  • Lunch – Baked potato with low fat sour cream, 6 oz tuna steak, mixed greens salad.
  • Dinner – Baked beans casserole with vegetables.
  • Before sleep – 1 cup of rose hip tea with honey.
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