Top 5 Foods for a Better Heart

Eating your way to a healthier heart

(LifeWire) - Partaking in just five foods can make a difference in the health of your heart. Although you can't change risk factors, such as age, gender and genetics, you can ward off coronary artery disease (CAD) and satisfy your taste buds by simply changing your diet.

1. Unsaturated Fats

When you replace saturated fats--found in meats, butter, lard and coconut oil--with unsaturated varieties, you'll get rid of the main culprit in dietary cholesterol. Many saturated fats also contain trans fatty acids, which lower HDL, the "good cholesterol," along with increasing LDL, the "bad cholesterol."  Switch to olive oil, or soybean, corn, safflower or canola oil, which contain the polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. And keep all fat levels down: Try to keep your fat intake to less than 35% of your daily consumed calories.

2. Fish

Dine on fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna or mackerel, at least twice a week. These omega-3-rich foods will increase your good cholesterol, helping your body rid itself of bad cholesterol. There is some controversy about eating fish, however, which you can read about here.

3. Flaxseed

Flaxseed--along with soy, canola and walnuts--can lower your bad cholesterol levels. Substitute three tablespoons of ground flaxseed for one tablespoon of oil in recipes, or sprinkle one tablespoon of the nutty-flavored substance onto cereals, salads and vegetables to achieve your daily heart-healthy dose.

4. Fiber

You've heard that you'll live longer if you eat your oatmeal; well, it's probably true! Eating foods with soluble fiber can reduce your bad cholesterol levels. Oats top the list of soluble fiber-rich foods, followed by beans and citrus fruits. You need both soluble and insoluble fiber in your daily diet. Insoluble fiber--found in whole wheat products, wheat bran, and carrots--may lower your risk of developing heart disease and can even slow its progression if you already have it. Women should consume at least 20 grams of fiber each day, such as one-half cup of 100% bran cereal, a half cup of black beans and a small pear. Men should shoot for at least 30 grams of fiber each day.

5. Leaner (and Less) Meat

When preparing meals, make meat the side dish. To reduce cholesterol intake, choose cuts like sirloin or lean ground beef. Select the tenderloin of pork and eat the white meat of chicken or turkey--skin removed. Just 3 ounces of lean meat constitutes a full serving, in addition to meeting one-half to one-third of your total daily protein requirement. Enjoy meat substitutes like bean and rice dishes when you can. And if you can't cut back substantially on red meat, just make sure the cholesterol count of the meat doesn't put your daily total over 300 mg.

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