Diet Sheet Dietary advice to help lower cholesterol and keep your heart healthy
Food Group
Best choice
Occasionally
Best avoided
Bread, cereals and potatoes
Wholegrain varieties of bread, pasta, rice, noodles, breakfast cereals, oats. Couscous, (sweet) potatoes.
Mashed potatoes.
Croissants, waffles, fried potatoes, roast potatoes, sugar coated breakfast cereals.
Fresh, frozen, dried or canned (in natural juice) fruits and vegetables.
Canned fruit in syrup (drain the syrup). Orange-, grapefruit-, pineapple juice.
Vegetables fried in batter or in creamy sauce. Apple juice.
(Extra) lean pork, ham, lamb, (minced) beef, chicken and turkey (without skin), veal. All fish: cod, plaice, sole, whiting, (fresh, canned) tuna, shellfish. Oily fish: (fresh, canned), sardines, pilchards, salmon, trout, herring. Eggs (an average of 3 fit in a varied diet) All nuts and seeds, especially almonds, walnuts, linseed, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower seeds. (Chick) peas, lentils, sweetcorn, kidney beans, lentils. Rinse if canned in salt, sugar. Soya mince, beans, tofu.
Lean bacon, reduced fat sausages, burgers, meatballs.
Fatty cuts of meat, lamb, duck, goose. Streaky bacon, sausage (rolls), pies, pasta, chicken nuggets. Fish in creamy, cheesy sauces. Fried fish in batter. Roasted nuts in oil and salt.
Fat free milk, soya milk. Low fat, fat-free, ‘light’ fruit yoghurts. Fat free, low fat, cottage, cheese, ‘extra light’ cheese spread.
Low fat milk, reduced fat evaporated milk. Low fat yoghurt. Low fat cheddar, mozzarella, feta, ‘light’ cheese spread.
Full cream milk, evaporated or condensed milk. Clotted, double, whipping, soured, single cream. Creme fraiche. Full cream yoghurt. Cream cheese, mascarpone, brie, camembert, stilton, edam, parmesan, full fat cheese spread.
High fat soft spreads.
Butter, lard, suet, dripping, ghee, brick margarines.
Base all meals (and snacks) on a serving from this group.
Fruits and Vegetables At least five or more portions every day. A portion (80g) of fruit and vegetables is: 1 cereal bowl of mixed salad, 1 piece of fruit, 2 pieces of small fruit, 1 handful of grapes or strawberries, 1 tablespoon dried fruit, 3 tablespoons vegetables or fresh fruit salad.
Meat, fish & alternatives Eat a moderate amount (1-2 portions a day). Vary by choosing lean meat, 2-3 times a week. On the other days choose fish or non-meat alternatives. Try to eat fish at least twice a week incl 1 portion (140 g, the size of a pack of playing cards) of oily fish. 3 eggs a week. 30 g (1.5 tablespoons) of nuts/seeds daily. A portion (4 cooked tablespoons) of cooked beans, peas or lentils daily.
Milk/dairy foods & alternatives 2-3 portions a day. A portion is a medium sized glass of milk (200ml), a small pot of yoghurt (150g), a matchbox sized medium fat cheese (40g), a small matchbox sized high fat cheese (20g), 2 small matchbox sized ‘light’ cheese spread (80g) or a large pot of cottage cheese (200g).
Oils and Fats
Lower fat, unsaturated fat spreads, spreads with plant sterol/stanols. Small amounts are essential in the diet. When considering fats, remember, not all fats are equal. Replace saturated fats with ‘good’ unsaturated fats, which are healthy essential components of a balanced diet. Use saturated fats as little as possible.
Water
(mineral) water, coffee, tea.
24653 Flora Diet Sheet 18.10.13 7.48.indd 1
2013/10/18 7:49 AM