Why Is an Unhealthy Diet a Risk Factor?
Unhealthy eating habits can lead to:
What Is a "Heart Healthy" Diet?
A heart healthy diet is one that includes:
- plenty of vegetables and fruits
- healthy fats in place of saturated and trans fats
- whole grains and cereals, beans and lentils
- fatty fish at least twice a week
- a handful of unsalted nuts and seeds most days
- lower fat dairy products
Desirable level
- Total fat intake: Less than 30% of total calories per day (less than 7% of calories from saturated fat and less than 1% of calories from trans fat)
- Fibre intake: 25-50 grams per day
- Sodium intake: Less than 1500 mg/day
- Added sugar:
- women: up to 5 teaspoons per day
- men: up to 9 teaspoons per day
What Does "A Fat Intake of Less Than 30% of Total Calories" Mean?
If you are a man consuming 1800 calories per day:
- Total fat for the day = 60 grams with up to 14 grams (approximately 3 teaspoons) from saturated fat
If you are a woman consuming 1500 calories per day:
- Total fat for the day = 50 grams with up to 11 grams (approximately 2.5 teaspoons) from saturated fat
