N UTRITION G UIDE FOR H EART H EALTH Prepared by Diabetes Education Committee Saudi Diabetes & Endocrine Association

Maintain your body weight within the healthy range, and lose weight, if obese. Maintain your blood sugar and blood pressure within the recommended ranges.

Maintain your blood cholesterol within the recommended range. Take your medications as advised by your doctor.

Check your blood sugar and blood pressure regularly. Practice exercise regularly, and get the advise of your doctor on exercise type and duration.

Avoid alcohol drinks. Avoid smoking (active or passive).

Consume healthy low fat food that is rich in fiber, fruits, vegetables, and low in salt and saturated fat.

Follow the nutritional guidelines for your heart health, and contact the Saudi Diabetes & Endocrine Association for any question.

M EAT G ROUP  Choose Moderate portions of skinless poultry, lean veal or lamb or fish. Bake or grill meat or chicken or fish than frying. One cup cooked dried lentils or beans can be used as meat substitute.  Go Slow Fatty meats, organ meats, egg yolk, commercially processed meats (such as sausage, hotdog and canned meat). General Guidelines for Heart Health

F RUITS AND V EGETABLES G ROUP  Choose Include vegetables and fruits with colors (green or yellow or orange or red color) in your daily meal plan, such as: tomatoes, strawberries, carrots, mango, squash, orange spinach. Steam your vegetables or eat fresh and whole vegetables and fruits, and select unsweetened fruit juices.  Go Slow Potato chips and deep-fried vegetables. Canned fruits in syrup and sweetened fruit drinks. Vegetables mixed with fatty sauces.

B READ AND C EREALS G ROUP  Choose Whole grain breads and cereals. Pastas (spaghetti, noodles, macaroni and steamed rice).  Go Slow Commercially baked breads (high in saturated fat and sugar), such as pastries and egg rich breads, donuts and pancakes.

M ILK P RODUCTS G ROUP  Choose Low fat and non-low fat milk products (skimmed milk, yogurt, laban, low fat cheese and low fat labneh).  Go Slow Whole milk and its products, cream, butter, spread cheese, evaporated and condensed milk and Gishda.

F AT G ROUP  Choose Vegetable oils such as: (corn oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, or canola oil).  Go Slow Solid fats and hydrogenated margarines, butter, ghee, animal fat, coconut and palm oils.

D ESSERTS G ROUP  Choose Low fat fruit desserts (small portions). Sugar substitute and diet drinks. Healthy puddings made with fruits and skimmed milk.  Go Slow Ice cream and other desserts made with whole milk, butter, puddings, pies, cakes and fried snacks. Regular soft drinks and commercial sweets and cakes.

H EALTH M ESSAGE U NITE FOR P REVENTING D IABETES, O BESITY AND O STEOPOROSIS

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