The American Heart Association recommends an eating plan that emphasizes intake of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains and includes low-fat dairy products, poultry, fish, legumes (dried beans and peas), nontropical vegetable oils, nuts and seeds. It should limit intake of sodium, sweets, sugar-sweetened beverages and red meats.
Vegetables
- One serving equals: 1 cup raw leafy vegetables (about the size of a small fist); 1/2 cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetables; 1/2 cup vegetable juice.
- Eat a variety of colors and types, especially deeply colored vegetables, such as spinach, carrots, and broccoli.
- Look for vegetables that are fresh, frozen, or canned in water without added sugar, saturated and trans fats, or salt.
Fruits
- One serving equals: 1 medium fruit (about the size of a baseball); 1/4 cup dried fruit; 1/2 cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit; 1/2 cup 100% fruit juice.
- Eat a variety of colors and types, especially deeply colored fruits such as peaches and berries.
- Eat whole fruits to get all of the nutrients (such as fiber) that can be missing in some juices.
Whole grains
- One serving equals: 1 slice bread; 1/2 cup hot cereal, 1 cup flaked cereal; or 1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta (about the size of a baseball).
- At least half of your servings should be high-fiber whole grains. Select items like whole-wheat bread, whole-grain crackers and brown rice.
- Aim for about 25-30 grams of fiber from foods each day.
Poultry, fish and lean meats (less than 6 cooked ounces per day)
- A 3 oz. portion is about the size of a deck of playing cards, 1/2 of a chicken breast or 3/4 cup of flaked fish.
- Enjoy at least 2 servings of baked or grilled fish each week; especially fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon, trout, and herring. (3 oz. of grilled or baked fish is about the size of a checkbook).
- Trim all visible fat from meats before cooking.
- Remove skin from poultry before eating.
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