Dietary guidelines for the prevention of heart attack include:
- Control calories:
- Eat just enough calories to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
- Eat quality fats:
- Use virgin olive oil and other unsaturated, low-cholesterol fats.
- Eat the right amount of fats, carbohydrates and protein:
- Limit your fat intake to 20 or 30 percent, but don't substitute simple carbohydrates for fat.
- Less than 7% of the day's total calories from saturated fat.
- Up to 10% of the day's total calories from polyunsaturated fat.
- Up to 20% of the day's total calories from monounsaturated fat
- Avoid fad diets:
- Eat a well-rounded diet instead.
- Eat small, frequent meals.
- Avoid large and heavy meals.
- Limit cholesterol in diet:
- To less than 200 milligrams a day.
- Limit iron intake:
- Eat more fiber:
- Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables
- Reduce salt in your diet
- Optimal: no more than 1,500 milligrams per day.
- Check with your doctor about supplementing your diet with B vitamins:
Key Dietary Recommendations for Chronic Disease Prevention| Nutrient | Recommendation |
| Energy (calories) | to maintain BMI < 25 |
| Total fats | < or = to 30% of total daily calories |
| Saturated fats | < 7% of total daily calories |
| Polyunsaturated fats | < 10% of total daily calories |
| Monounsaturated fats | < 13% of total daily calories |
| Cholesterol | < or = to 300 mg per day |
| Dietary fiber | 25-30 grams per day |
| Fiber type | 3:1 insoluble to soluble fiber |
| Sodium | < or = to 1,500 mg per day |
| Calcium 9-24 yrs | 1,200-1,500 mg per day |
| Calcium 25-50 yrs | 1,000 mg per day |
| Calcium 51-65 yrs | 1,200 mg per day |
| Calcium >65 yrs | 1,500 mg per day |
| Vitamin D 9-50 yrs | 5 ug per day |
| Vitamin D 51-70 yrs | 10 ug per day |
| Vitamin D >70 yrs | 15-20 ug per day |
| Folic acid | 400 ug per day |
| Fruits & vegetables | 5-7 servings per day |
| Alcohol (men) | < or = to 2 drinks per day |
| Alcohol (women) | < or = to 1 drink per day |
- One drink = 12 oz beer or 4 oz wine or 1 oz of distilled spirits
ug = micrograms
