Extension Report

Baldwin County Extension Office

302A Byrne Street

Bay Minette, AL  36507

Telephone (251) 937-7176 or

928-0860/943-5611 ext. 2222

FAX (251) 937-7285

Carolyn Bivins

Regional Extension Agent

Human Nutrition, Diet & Health

February 2, 2010

Eat Healthy for a Healthy Heart

The Month of February has been proclaimed as “American Heart Month” by the American Heart Association.  Believe it or not - Cardiovascular diseases including stroke are the number one killer in our nation. 

The old phrase, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, can also be applied to his heart health.  The same is true for women.

Two newer recommendations from the American Heart Association involve:

Limiting “added” sugars

Eating healthier fats

LIMITED ADDED SUGARS

For the first time (August 24, 2009), AHA issued guidelines on how much “added” sugar we should consume.  Added sugars include both sugars and syrups added at the table and those added to foods during processing or preparation.  To determine the amount of added sugar in a processed food, check the nutrition label; 4 grams of sugar listed on the Nutrition Facts label includes both naturally occurring sugars (like those in fruit and milk) as well as those added to a food or drink.  Check the ingredient list for added sugars.

Most American women should consume no more than 100 calories (about 6 teaspoons) of added sugar daily and most men no more than 150 calories (about 9 teaspoons).  A 2001-04 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey showed the average American consumed 22.2 teaspoons per day (355 calories).

More specifically, the new guidelines recommend no more than half of a person’s daily discretionary calorie allowance should come from added sugars.  Discretionary calories are the calories left over after a person eats the recommended types and amounts of foods to meet nutrient requirements.  For more information on determining your recommended level of discretionary calories, visit http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/discretionary_calories.html.

High intake of “added” sugars in contrast to sugar “naturally” occurring in foods such as fruits and milk is associated with the rise in obesity and increased risks for high triglyceride levels and other risk factors for disease and stroke.

Rather than consuming high sugar foods, take advantage of the concentrated sweetness of sugar.  Add sugar sparingly as a flavor-enhancer to nutrient-rich foods such as whole grain cereals.  When you do choose a sugary food, choose a smaller portion and eat slowly to savor the flavor.

EAT HEALTHIER FATS

Researchers are learning the type of fat we eat may be as important, maybe more so, than the amount. 

The AHA (American Heart Association) has launched the “Face the Fats” campaign to help consumers minimize trans fats and saturated fats in their diets and to replace them with healthier oils higher healthier in unsaturated fats.  As described in their news release, the campaign helps break down complex fat information, focusing initially on the bad fats and healthier alternatives.  It’s important for consumers to eat all fats in moderation and eat all foods with the “bad” fats as treats only – once in a while –rather than often.

BAD fats – Trans and saturated fats:

Trans fat is found in many foods, but especially in commercial baked goods (doughnuts, pastries,  muffins, cakes, pie crusts, biscuits and cookies), fried foods (French fries, fried chicken, breaded chicken nuggets and breaded fish), snack foods (crackers), and other foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, vegetable shortening or hard margarine.  (Soft margarines typically do not contain trans  fat.)

Saturated fat occurs naturally in many foods.  The saturated fat we eat comes primarily from animal sources, including beef, lamb, pork, poultry with skin, beef fat, lard, cream, butter, cheese and other  dairy products made from whole or reduced-fat (2 percent) milk. These foods also contain cholesterol.  Some plant foods, such as palm oil, palm kernel oil and coconut oil, also contain saturated fat.

BETTER fats –

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats: 

Major sources of monounsaturated fat include olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, avocados and many nuts and seeds.

Major sources of polyunsaturated fat include a number of vegetable oils (soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil), fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring and trout) and some nuts and seeds.

CALORIES from fat: Regardless of the type of fat, all fats have the same number of calories – every 1 gram of fat contains 9 calories.

“TRANS fat-free” doesn’t automatically mean “healthy:” Foods marked “trans fat-free” may still contain saturated fat, the other bad fat, and be high in calories.

For more information, recipes and a “fats translator” that personalizes these recommendations for you, visit http:www.americanheart.org/FaceTheFats.  Source: Alice Henneman, UNL Extension Educator   

Email address: cbivins@aces.edu

Phone: 937-7176 or 943-5611, 928-0860, ext. 2222

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities) in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture is an equal opportunity educator and employer.