Atherosclerosis diet

Atherosclerosis diet

The atherosclerosis diet is similar to those recommended for
other conditions associated with heart disease (eg hyperlipidemia
and hypertension. The aim is to adopt a healthy diet which will
prevent further development of coronary heart disease.
The diet:
  • Is similar to a Mediterranean-style diet 
  • Includes large amounts of fresh fruits (2 servings per day) and
    vegetables (5 servings per day)
  • Limits the intake of meat, particularly red meat (1 serving per
    day) 
  • Increases consumption of grains and cereals (4-9 servings per
    day) 
  • Includes non-fat or low-fat milk and dairy products (2 servings
    per day) 
  • Recommends limiting alcohol intake (a maximum of 2 standard
    drinks for men and 1 for women per day).
The diet excludes: 
  • Foods high in cholesterol – offal meats, eggs, cream, shell
    fish etc.
  • Fatty take-away foods, fried foods, cakes, biscuits, pastries
    and chocolate
  • Frying foods or using breadcrumbs
Try to make the following changes to your
diet:
  • Include omega-3 fatty acids in your diet (eg. fish, canola
    oil)
  • Reduce total fat by only choosing lean meats and always cut
    visible forms of fat away
  • Reduce the total fat in your diet, particularly saturated
    fat
  • Limit the amount of salt in your daily diet 
  • Select items with the Heart Foundation tick, which suggests the
    product is good for promoting a healthy heart.
Sample daily diet
Breakfast
1 glass of freshly squeezed orange juice 
1 bowl of porridge with honey and banana 
1 slice of wholemeal toast topped with tomato 
Snack
1 tub of low-fat yoghurt 
1 cup of tea or coffee
1 slice of fruit bread with thin spread of jam
Lunch
Tuna salad 
1 wholemeal roll 
Snack
2 slices of wholemeal toast with low-fat cheese melted on
top 
1 cup of tea or coffee
Dinner
2 grilled chicken shashlicks with capsicum and onions served
on a bed of couscous 
1 Greek salad 
1 glass of red wine or dark grape juice
Recipe 
Tuna salad
1 cup of lettuce leaves
1 can of tuna (drained and flaked)
2 boiled potatoes (skins on)
1 large tomato cut into wedges
½ cup of Kalamata olives
1 cup of green beans
1 sprig of fresh parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Place lettuce in salad bowl and add rest of ingredients. Mix all
ingredients together and add olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Total Nutrients (100 g):
Energy: 415 kJ / 99 cals
Protein: 4.2 g
Total Fat 5.6 g
Monounsaturated Fat : 3.9 g
Saturated Fat : 0.9 g
Cholesterol : 5. 9 mg
Sodium : 123 mg
ORGANISATIONS & SUPPORT GROUPS
See the Heart Foundation of Australia topic on the
Healthpoint.