Nutritional Progam

Nutrition Therapy to Reduce Cholesterol and Sodium

Ways to Limit Cholesterol:

• Limit saturated fats and trans fats

  • Foods high in saturated fats include fatty meat, poultry skin, bacon, sausage, whole milk, cream and butter

  • Trans fats are found in stick margarine, shortening, some fried foods, and packaged foods made with hydrogenated oils.

  • Instead of butter or stick margarine, try reduced-fat, whipped or liquid spreads.

• Limit the amount of cholesterol that you eat to less than 200 milligrams (mg) per day.

  • Foods high in cholesterol include eggs yolks (one egg yolk has about 212 mg of cholesterol), fatty meat, whole milk, cheese, shrimp, lobster, and crab.

• Limit the amount of sodium that you eat bro-less than 2000 milligrams (mg) per day.

  • It is good to select foods with no more than 140 mg per serving.

  • Foods with more than 300 mg sodium per serving may not fit into a reduced=sodium meal plan.

  • Remember to check serving sizes on the label of the foods you buy. If you eat more than one serving, you will get more sodium than the amount listed.

  • Use caution when you eat outside of your home. Restaurant foods can be high in sodium, and you cannot always get information about this. Look on the menu, ask your server if the information is available, or go to the restaurant’s website on your home computer or mobile device; many restaurants have their menus’ nutritional information posted online.

• Limit the total amount of fat that you eat (including heart-healthy fats) to 25%-35% of the calories that you eat. If you should eat 2,000 calories per day, your fat intake can be between 50 grams (g) and 75 grams (g) per day.

• Eat more Omega-3 fats (heart-healthy fats):

  • Good choices include walnuts, canola and soybean oils,  flaxseed (ground or oil), salmon, tuna, mackerel, and sardines. Aim to eat fish twice a week.

• Get 20g to 30g of dietary fiber per day:

  • Fruits and vegetables. Aim for 5 cups per day.

  • Whole grains and dried beans. Add 3 ounces every day.

• Plan to eat more plant-based meals, using beans and soy foods for protein.

• Talk with your dietician,  doctor or health care team about what types of physical activity are best for you and what you want your healthy goal is for you. Set goals to reach and maintain the weight you want. Set a plan for 30 minutes of exercise per day or most days, according to your schedule.

Ways to Reduce Sodium:

• A low-sodium (salt) diet may help prevent build-up of extra water in your body. An excess of water in your system may lead to issues with high blood pressure, heart failure, kidney disease or other conditions in which swelling or fluid retention can occur.

• If you take a diuretic (certain blood pressure medications or water pills), it is still important to have less salt in your diet.
   

• If you follow a strict low-sodium diet and avoids processed foods as much as possible, the sodium content that you consume should be in the range of 1500mg per day, which is equivalent o 1/8 tsp of salt to season your food. If you use “lite” or reduced sodiums salt, you can increase sodium to 1/4 tsp per day.
   

AVOID:

• Salt — 1/4 teaspoon of salt has almost 600 milligrams sodium.

• Processed foods — salt is added in large amounts in some regularly consumed foods. Some examples include but are not limited to:

• Canned goods, including soups, stews, sauces, gravy mixes, and some vegetables.

• Frozen foods, including dinners, entrees, vegetables, with sauces

• Snack foods, including salted chips, popcorn, pretzels, pork rinds and crackers

• Packaged starchy foods like seasoned noodle and rice dishes, stuffing mixes, macaroni and cheese dinners

• Instant cooking foods to which you add hot water and stir.

• Mixes, including cornbread, biscuit, cakes, and puddings

• Processed meats and cheeses: deli and lunch meats, cured and smoked meats canned meats

• Cheeses — avoid those with more than 140mg of sodium  per serving

Condiments Sauces and Seasonings:

• Mustard, ketchup, salad dressings, bouillon cubes or granules

• Sauces such as Worcestershire, barbecue, pizza, chili, steak,  soy or horseradish

• Meat tenderizers

• Monosodium glutamate (MSG)

• Any seasoning that has “salt” in the name or on the label

• Avoid celery, garlic and onion salt (order & flakes are ok)

• Pickles and olives