Heart Smart

ome foods are good for your heart. They keep the cholesterol in your blood low. This is good for your heart. Other foods are not as good for your heart. They make the cholesterol in your blood too high. Too much cholesterol in the blood can cause heart attacks.

Take care of your heart. Keep your cholesterol low. Eat less fat. Eat less cholesterol. Eat more fiber.

This is easy to do with these ideas. Buy lean meats. Don’t fry meats. Eat only little servings. Eat more beans and peas. Eat no more than 4 eggs a week. Use low-fat milk and yogurt. Eat only low-fat cheese. Eat more grains like bread, rice, cereal, oatmeal, grits, or noodles. Eat a fruit or vegetable at each meal. Use half of the fat you have been using.

MEAT
You can eat meat and keep your cholesterol low. Buy lean meat. Cut off any fat. Remove the skin. Eat a small piece about the size of a deck of cards 2 times a day.
USDA Select meat	USDA Choice meat	USDA Prime meat
BEEF
Round, sirloin, flank	Ground beef Roast (rib, chuck, rump) Steak (cubed, porterhouse, T-bone) Meatloaf	Corned beef, short ribs
PORK
Tenderloin, leg (fresh) Shoulder (arm or picnic)		Spareribs, blade roll Pork (ground or sausage)
WILD GAME
Venison, rabbit, squirrel, Pheasant, duck, goose (without skin)
FISH
All fish and shellfish
POULTRY
Chicken (Cut off skin.) Turkey (Cut off skin.)		Turkey (self-basting with butter added)
OTHER MEATS
Lunch meat (95% lean) Lean ham Canadian bacon	Liver 1 time a month	Bologna, hot dogs, and other high-fat lunch meat Other organ meats Bacon Sausage Ham hocks Fatback and lard Pigs’ feet, ears, tails
COOKING SUGGESTIONS
Cook meat so the fat drips away from the meat.
Baked Broiled Steamed Stir fried Roasted Poached Grilled Microwaved		Fried Buttery Sauteed Pan fried Crispy Creamed Flaky
EGGS
Eat no more than 4 eggs a week.
Egg whites Egg substitutes		Egg yolks
COOKING SUGGESTIONS
Boiled Poached	Cooked in microwave Fried in margarine Fried in non-stick cooking spray Fried in non-stick pan	Fried in butter Fried in bacon or sausage grease Fried in shortening
INSTEAD OF MEAT
Dried peas and beans Black-eyed peas Kidney beans Navy beans Chick peas Split peas Vegetable bean soup	Peanut butter	Creamed soup
MILK
Skim or 1% milk Buttermilk made from skim milk Cottage cheese (1% fat) Low-fat yogurt (made from skim or 1% milk)	Cheese made with skim milk like mozzarella Cottage cheese (2% fat) Light sour cream Light cream cheese	Whole or 2% milk Cheese made from whole milk like cheddar, swiss,and colby Buttermilk made from whole milk Cottage cheese (4% fat) Ice cream Yogurt (made from whole milk) Cream or coffee creamers Sour cream Cream cheese
FATS AND OILS
Liquid vegetable oils Corn Olive Canola Sunflower Soybean Peanut Safflower Cottonseed Margarine, diet Non-stick oil sprays Mayonnaise, diet Salad dressing, reduced-calorie	Margarine Nuts like peanuts, walnuts, almonds, pecans Olives (black & green) Avocado	Hard animal fats Lard Salt pork Meat fat Hard vegetable fats Coconut oil Palm oil Hard shortening Butter Mayonnaise Salad dressing
SNACKS
Fig bars Vanilla wafers Gingersnaps Animal crackers Melba toast Bread sticks Soda crackers Pretzels Popcorn, air-popped, plain Angel food cake Low-fat candy like jellybeans peppermints lifesavers Ice milk Sherbet Popsicles Low-fat yogurt Fresh fruit Fruit juice Diet soft drinks	Popcorn with some oil or butter	Most cookies and crackers       Potato chips Corn chips Tortilla chips Popcorn with lots of oil or butter Most cakes Pies Doughnuts Candy bars     Ice cream Yogurt made with milk Eggnog Soft drinks
FRUITS & VEGETABLES
All fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruits and vegetables
COOKING SUGGESTIONS
Steamed Boiled Baked Microwaved	Cooked with diet margarine	Fried In gravy, butter, or cream sauces

For more information, contact your county Extension office. Visit http://www.aces.edu/counties or look in your telephone directory under your county's name to find contact information. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.