The
AHA Guidelines suggest these are the first steps in heart-healthy nutrition:
For a list of definitions of fats and cholesterol, see Cholesterol.
•
Saturated fatty acid and trans fatty acid intake should be less than 10 percent
of calories (less than 7% if you have heart disease, have had a heart attack or
have high cholesterol).
•
Polyunsaturated fatty acid intake should be 8 to 10 percent of calories. •
Monounsaturated fatty acids make up the rest of the total fat intake, about 10
to 15 percent of total calories.
• Total fat intake should be no more than 30 percent of calories. •
Cholesterol intake should be less than 300 milligrams per day. •
Sodium intake should be no more than 2,400 milligrams (2.4 grams) per day. The
Step Diets
In
October 2000, the AHA dropped the "Step I" and "Step II" designations.
However, the revised guidelines retain the principles of the Step I and
Step II diets. They put more emphasis on foods than on percentages of food components,
such as fat, cholesterol, etc.
We have included them because if you are new at watching what you eat, the Step
Diets give simple total breakdowns of amounts to use as a goal. AHA
Scientific Position
The American Heart Association and the National
Cholesterol Education Program developed the Step I and Step II diets to treat
high blood cholesterol, or hypercholesterolemia (hi"per-ko-les"ter-ol-E'me-ah).
The main aim is to lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol to reduce the risk
of coronary heart disease, which causes heart attack. The guidelines help patients
sets goals for reducing saturated fat and cholesterol in their diet. At the same
time, they promote good nutrition. The composition of these diets is shown below.
| |
Recommended
Intake as Percent of
Total Calories |
| Nutrient* |
Step
I Diet | Step
II Diet | | Total
Fat | 30%
or less | 30%
or less | | Saturated |
7
- 10% | less
than 7% | | Polyunsaturated |
Up
to 10% | Up
to 10% | | Monounsaturated |
Up
to 15% | Up
to 15% | | Carbohydrate |
55%
or more | 55%
or more | | Protein |
Approximately
15% | Approximately
15% | | Cholesterol |
Less
than 300 mg per day | Less
than 200 mg per day | | Total
Calories | To
achieve and maintain desired weight | To
achieve and maintain desired weight | | *
Calories from alcohol not included. | What
are recommended amounts of total fat and saturated fat in grams?
| Calorie
Level | Total
Fat
(Grams) | Step
I Diet
Saturated Fatty Acid
(Grams) |
Step
II Diet
Saturated Fatty Acid
(Grams) |
| 1200 |
40
or less | 9
- 13 | less
than 9 | | 1500 |
50
or less | 12
- 17 | less
than 12 | | 1800 |
60
or less | 14
- 20 | less
than 14 | | 2000 |
67
or less | 16
- 22 | less
than 16 | | 2200 |
73
or less |
17 - 24 | less
than 17 | | 2500
| 83
or less | 19
- 28 | less
than 19 | | 3000 |
100
or less | 23
- 33 | less
than 23 | |
