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Key healthy eating messages for heart attack recovery 
heartfoundation.org.au|Helpline 13 11 12

Key healthy eating messages for heart attack recovery 

Eating healthy foods can help you recover and reduce your risk of more heart problems.

2 min read
The Heart Foundation recognises that healthy eating patterns do not rely on one type of food or nutrient to promote heart health. Heart healthy eating patterns are based on a combination of foods, chosen regularly over time. This optimal combination is outlined in the Heart Foundation’s Heart Healthy Eating Principles, and includes vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, healthy proteins and fats, and limited salt.      

This style of eating is naturally low in saturated and trans-fat, salt and added sugar and rich in unsaturated fats, along with wholegrains, fibre and antioxidants.   

The Heart Foundation recommends that people with existing heart disease, including those recovering from a heart attack, should follow the Heart Healthy Eating Principles with some key changes:   
 
  • Choose reduced fat and unflavoured milk, yoghurt and cheese   
  • Consume less than seven eggs per week   
  • Include 2-3 grams of plant sterols per day from fortified food products (special varieties of margarine, milk, yoghurt and breakfast cereals) to assist in lowering LDL cholesterol levels  
  • If you consume red meat (like beef, pork, veal and lamb) – eat no more than 350g per week.  
Eating healthy foods can help you recover and reduce your risk of more heart problems. A balanced heart healthy diet can decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and mortality, and CVD risk factors, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.  

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