“If people start reading nutrition labels and taking control of
what they’re cooking and how they’re preparing it, they can definitely
limit their overall fat, sugar and salt and be heart healthier for it,” said
CalvertHealth registered dietitian Karen Mohn, RDN, LDN, CDCES.
September is National Cholesterol Education Month, a good time to get your blood cholesterol checked
and take steps to lower it if it’s high. It is also a good time to learn more about food and lifestyle
choices that can help you reach your personal cholesterol goals.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 102 million adults
(20 years and older) have total cholesterol levels at or above 200mg/dL, which is above healthy levels.
Of these, more than 35 million have levels of 240mg/dL or higher, which puts them at high risk for
heart disease.
This is of particular concern locally, where the 2020 Community Health Needs Assessment found
the incidence of heart disease in Calvert County was higher than state and national rates.
Mohn, who has been a dietitian
for more than 30 years, says there is
a lot we can do to turn the numbers in
our favor. It starts with getting back to
basics and eating food that is fresh and
as close to a natural state as possible.
“If we stopped eating so much processed
food, we wouldn’t have to worry so much
about too much fat, sugar or salt.”
Not All Fats Are Created Equal
A heart-healthy lifestyle starts with
healthy food and watching your fat
intake is key. According to Mohn, we
should limit our total fat to no more
than 30 percent of our daily calories
and choose foods that are low in
saturated fat such as vegetable oils,
nuts, avocados, almond milk, fish,
pork loin and poultry (with the skin
pulled off prior to cooking).
“A healthier fat,” explained Mohn,
“is going to help lower your LDL or
bad cholesterol. So, those are the ones
you want to include in your diet.”
Equally important, we should
limit eating foods high in saturated fat
found in fatty meats (beef, sausage,
pork or ham), cheese, chocolate,
baked goods and processed foods.
Trans fat is another bad fat; it can
raise your LDL and lower your HDL
or good cholesterol. It’s found mostly
in foods made with hydrogenated
oils and fats such as stick margarine,
crackers and French fries.
Fiber Is Your Friend
“Fiber is really important,” said
Mohn, “especially if it’s soluble fiber.
It binds with the cholesterol in our
blood stream and helps to eliminate
it so it doesn’t get a chance to be
absorbed into our system.” Soluble
fiber comes from a lot of your fruits
and vegetables.
Mohn said consuming five servings
of fruits and vegetables per day can
help maintain the recommended fiber
intake of 20-30 grams per day. Other
good sources of fiber are whole-grain
cereals such as oatmeal and oat bran (Cheerios™), flax seed and beans.
“If you have one serving of
beans, which is ½ cup, that is 8
grams of fiber and it also has some
protein in it,” said Mohn.
She also advises eating fish
high in omega-3 fatty acids like
salmon, tuna and mackerel, at
least twice a week because it helps
lower your triglycerides and reduce
the inflammation that can damage
blood vessels. Nuts like almonds and
walnuts, as well as chia seeds, are
also good sources.
Cut Back On Sugar and Salt
According to Mohn, reading nutrition
labels is essential if you’re trying to
cut back on sugar and salt. “I always
say: Don’t eat it if you don’t read
it.” For instance, a can of reducedsodium
soup could still have 750mg
of sodium. If you eat the whole can,
you’ve had your day’s allowance of
sodium.
The American Heart Association
(AHA) recommends 1,500mg of
sodium (salt) if you are 50 or older.
Mohn said, “It used to be if you
had high blood pressure but now
everyone needs to watch their salt.”
If there is too much salt in your diet,
our body holds onto water, which
makes your blood pressure go up
and it can stress your heart as well
as your blood vessels.
It’s not just saturated and trans
fats that can raise cholesterol levels.
Eating too many added sugars
can do the same thing. “We take in
entirely too much sugar,” said Mohn.
“It’s not just cake, candy and cookies
anymore. It’s in our spaghetti sauce,
canned foods, sauces, marinades
and salad dressings.”
The AHA recommends eating no
more than 100 calories (25 grams) of
added sugar per day for women and
no more than 150 calories (37.5 grams)
for men.