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Heart Patient Diet>Causes Of Heart Attack>Mayo Clinic Heart Diet

Diet For Heart Surgery Patients

A good heart patient diet is going to include lots of soluble fiber, such as legumes, bran, oats, and other grains. Statistics about heart disease show that soluble fiber lowers blood cholesterol levels considerably.

Let's learn more about a diet that would help a person who is at risk for heart attacks and other heart related diseases.

Heart Patient Diet Plan

One of the main causes of heart attack is high blood cholesterol, which clogs the arteries and interrupts blood flow to the heart. The best diet plan is going to lower blood cholesterol by eating more fiber rich foods. Just by eating two oat bran muffins a day can lower blood cholesterol. See recipe below.

Oat Bran Muffin Recipe

2 ½ cups oat bran cereal or 2 cups oats and ½ cup bran
2-teaspoon raw honey, or other “natural” sweetener
½ cup raisins
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup almond, sesame, soy, or skim milk
4-ounces egg whites
1-tablespoon coconut or safflower oil

Preparation:

In a large bowl prepare dry ingredients. Add milk, egg whites and oil. Mix just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fill greased muffin tins or paper muffin cups ¾ full. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Makes ten muffins.

Remember that the heart diet should have soluble fiber foods such as rolled oats and bran, which makes these oat bran muffins a healthy snack as well. The diet for heart surgery patients should also include lots of legumes and other whole grain foods.

Diet For Heart Patients

Whole grain pasta alternating with legumes makes two winning foods in the heart patient diet. The versatility of both of these foods means a different flavor with each meal. Let’s take a look at just a few outstanding, healthy meals you can prepare using these two base foods, pasta and legumes.

Beans and rice burritos
Humus spread on crackers or whole wheat
Chili con carne
Navy bean soup with corn bread
Cold pasta salad with kidney or chickpeas
Black beans and rice
Pureed bean soup
Pasta primavera
Pinto bean dip for tortilla chips
Whole grain spaghetti with ground turkey meatballs
Lentils and rice
Curried lentils with vegetables
Split pea soup
Oatmeal snacks – cookies, muffins, breads

Low Sodium Snacks

The heart patient diet should include healthy snacks for in between meals. Some of these snacks might be popcorn, no salt pretzels, dried fruits and nuts, jello and tapioca pudding. Homemade snacks made with rolled oats are always good to eat, such as granola or no bake granola bars.

Dried dates, raisins and figs make a great natural sweetener. Blend the fruit and then use in place of refined sugar—tastes great and way better for you! Raw fruits are also an important form of fiber.

It is recommended to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables in the daily diet of the heart patient. The Mayo Clinic heart diet will tell you to eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day. The most important aspect for the heart patient is to double or sometimes triple their intake of fiber to help lower blood cholesterol levels.

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