‘SO YOU’RE back eating meat!’
That was the usual comment curious friends greeted me with on reading my recent column about Yuletide parties where one had no choice but eat lechon and other meat meals. They had previously read in this corner about my attempts to go “vegetarian” because of my heart disease known as “left ventricular dysfunction.”
With the New Year celebration over, I hope to resume being a semi-vegetarian – that is, having fish along with vegetables for lunch and dinner. Unlike pork and beef, fish has no bad cholesterol that could clog the arteries and trigger stroke or heart attack. May I share my research on this matter?
Studies in the 1970s showed that Greenland Eskimos had a lower rate of heart disease than did other individuals living in Greenland at the same time. Analysis of dietary differences between the groups showed that the Eskimos ate less saturated fat and more omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, whale and seal meat.
Research since that time has supported the heart-healthy benefits of eating fish. If you can’t dine with the Eskimos, look for good sources of omega-3 fatty acids like flaxseed, walnuts, olive oil and soybean oil, which are noted for lowering blood cholesterol, and reducing blood pressure and the risk of blood clots. In people who have already had heart attacks, fish oil — or omega-3 fatty acids — significantly reduces the risk of sudden death.
Doctors recommend at least two weekly servings of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, preferably mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon.
I used to ignore oatmeal for breakfast until my x-ray showed “atherosclerosis of the aorta.” Which meant that fatty plaque had partially blocked the flow of blood in the major artery emanating from my heart. Since then, oatmeal has become my favorite breakfast stuff, along with fresh fruits. Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad” cholesterol. Soluble fiber, which is also found in such foods as kidney beans, mongo sprouts, apples, pears and prunes, appears to reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines. Gel-like soluble fiber binds bile (which contains cholesterol) and dietary cholesterol) so that the body excretes it.
Five to 10 grams of soluble fiber a day decreases LDL cholesterol by about five percent. Eating 1.5 cups of cooked oatmeal provides 4.5 grams of fiber.
All nuts are high in calories; a handful will suffice. As with any food, eating too much can cause weight gain, and being overweight places us at higher risk of heart disease. To avoid gaining weight, replace foods high in saturated fat with nuts. Instead of using cheese, luncheon meat or croutons in your salad, add a handful of cashew nuts.
Also of paramount nutritional value are foods fortified with plant sterols — substances found in plants that help block the absorption of cholesterol.
Juices fortified with plant sterols can help reduce LDL cholesterol by more than 10 percent. The amount of daily plant sterols needed for results is at least 2 grams — which equals about two 8-ounce servings of plant sterol-fortified orange juice a day. Plant sterols in fortified foods don’t appear to affect levels of triglycerides or of “good” high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Nor do they interfere with the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins — vitamins A, D, E and K. Therefore, foods fortified with plant sterols are essential for people who actually have high levels of LDL cholesterol.
To summarize, first step for a heart-healthy diet is to eliminate bad fats. The second is to eat cholesterol-lowering foodstuffs. (hvego31@gmail.com/PN)
