What Can I do?

Dietary fat is an essential part of a heart-healthy diet. When replacing unhealthy fats with healthy fats, remember these few important points:

  • Fat is the most energy dense of all nutrients. All fats have 9 calories per gram (carbohydrates and proteins have 4 calories per gram). This makes it easy to eat too many calories. You can use portion control and be physically active to burn off those calories. This can protect you from becoming overweight or obese.
  • Find foods lower in unhealthy fats. Read the Nutrition Facts label and ingredients lists on packaged foods. Look up nutrition information on restaurant websites before you go out to eat. Find foods low in saturated fat and with zero trans fat.
  • Get some variety in your diet. Focus on eating a plant-based diet. Eat colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy, lean protein (i.e., skinless poultry, seafood, and lean meats), and heart-healthy fats and oils (i.e., olive oil, nuts, and seeds). This eating style leaves little room for unhealthy saturated fat and trans fat, as well as added sugars and sodium!
  • Find the right eating pattern for you. Any of the plant-based diets listed below can help you live a healthy lifestyle while enjoying great food:
    • The Mediterranean diet
    • Vegetarian diet
    • DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)
    • MyPlate Method