Food Groups
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Other Protein
| Choose | Avoid |
| Lean Meats: Select meats with minimal marbling. Trim away excess fat. Generally, a serving size is about the size of a deck of cards. Broil or grill to allow excess fat to drip away. | Fatty Meats: Corned beef, mutton, ham, bacon, luncheon meat, short ribs, spare ribs, sausage, hot dogs, scrapple, sandwich spreads, all organ meats |
| Poultry: Chicken and turkey with skin removed. | Self basted poultry; processed poultry products such as turkey franks or bacon; chicken frankfurters, or scrapple |
| Eggs: Egg whites and low cholesterol egg substitutes. Whole eggs as recommended by a physician or nutritionist. | Check with your physician or nutritionist regarding how many whole eggs per week. |
| Seafood: Fish oils are particularly heart healthy. Those with the highest fish oil include swordfish, mackerel, albacore tuna, salmon, walleye, Pollack, and blue fish. Fish should be eaten at least 3 times per week. | Any seafood that is sauteed or deep fried |
| Cheese: Select low fat cheese such as cottage cheese, pot cheese, mozzarella, ricotta and Swiss. | Most cheeses are high in saturated fat. Avoid cream cheese, processed cheese and cheese spreads. |
| Wild Game: Elk, deer (venison), Bison, pheasant, rabbit, wild duck and squirrel | Domestic duck or goose |
| Beans: Beans of almost any type, peas, lentils; tofu; peanut butter | Canned baked beans (sugar and extra calories added). Check labels. |
| Milk: Skim, non-fat (fluid, powdered, evaporated, condensed), buttermilk, lactose-reduced and sweet Acidophilus made from skim milk | Any milk product made with whole or 2% milk, chocolate milk, milkshakes, eggnog, coconut milk |
| Yogurt: Made from skim or non-fat milk | Made from whole milk or custard style |
| Creamers: Only those containing polyunsaturated oils | Any containing coconut or palm oils; whipped, sour, light, heavy, half & half creams |
Cereals, Grains, Complex Carbohydrates
| Choose | Avoid |
| Cereals, Dry or Cooked: Oat cereals are particularly heart healthy. Check labels on all cereals for total calories, sugar and sodium. Cereal grains are low in saturated fat. | Coconut containing cereals, instant hot cereals, granola |
| Pasta & Rice: Noodles, spaghetti, macaroni, brown rice (preferred), wild rice | Prepared with whole eggs, cream and cheese sauces; canned or boxed noodle and macaroni dishes; canned spaghetti dishes |
| Baked Goods: Whole grain breads and rolls; low fat or homemade muffins, pancakes, waffles and biscuits using polyunsaturated spread or oil and non-fat milk | Butter or cheese rolls and breads; croutons; commercial biscuits, muffins, pancakes, pastries, sweet rolls, donuts, croissants, popovers |
| Tortillas: Corn, soft flour made with unsaturated oils | Soft flour tortillas made with lard, shortening, hydrogenated fats, coconut and palm oils |
| Crackers/Snacks: Unsalted crackers, pretzels, popcorn prepared with air popper or mono/polyunsaturated oil | Salted crackers or snacks; fried snack foods; any snacks or crackers containing saturated fats, coconut or palm oils, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fats; cheese crackers or snacks; potato chips; corn chips; tortilla chips; chow mein noodles; commercial buttered popcorn |
Fruits and Vegetables
| Choose | Avoid |
| Vegetables: Fresh, frozen or low sodium canned; low sodium tomato and vegetable juices | Spaghetti sauce; creamed, breaded or deep-fat fried vegetables; vegetables in sauces |
| Fruit: Fresh, unsweetened dried fruits; canned or frozen packed in water, own juice or light syrup preferred; all fruit juices (unsweetened preferred) | Canned or frozen packed in syrup, sweetened dried fruits, coconut, fried snack chips |
Fats Fats in nuts, seeds and avocado are mostly unsaturated and healthy. They are high in
vitamins and minerals, but they also contain high calories and should be limited.
vitamins and minerals, but they also contain high calories and should be limited.
| Choose | Avoid |
| Polyunsaturated Fats: Sunflower, safflower, corn, soybean, cottonseed, sesame oils Monosaturated Fats: Canola, olive, peanut oils | Butter, lard, beef tallow, salt pork, bacon, bacon drippings, ham hock, animal fat, shortening, suet, chocolate, cocoa butter, coconut, coconut oil, palm and palm kernel oil, hydrogenated fat |
| Spreads: Tub type vegetable spreads made with canola or other mono- or poly- unsaturated fats | Hardened stick margarine or butter, any spread made with saturated or trans fat |
| Salad Dressings: Olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. Check labels for saturated or trans fats. | Made with saturated or trans fats, egg yolks |
| Seeds and Nuts: Unsalted, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower and others not on avoid list | Cashews, macadamia, pistachio, Brazil |
Miscellaneous
| Choose | Avoid |
| Desserts: Homemade baked goods made with unsaturated oils or spreads, skim or 1% milk and egg substitute or egg whites; gelatin; angel food cake; ginger snaps; fruit ice, fruit whips, sorbet, sherbet; low-fat frozen desserts; puddings, custards or junkets made with non-fat milk and egg allowances | Made with whole milk, cream, butter, chocolate and egg yolk; commercially prepared cakes, pies, cookies, pastries; ice cream; chocolate desserts; frozen cream pies; commercial dessert mixes such as cake and brownie mixes; chocolate; candies made with cream fillings |
| Beverages: Sparkling or mineral water, seltzer, club soda - unsweetened preferred; coffee; tea; Postum | Tonic, commercially or home softened water, instant cocoa mixes, Dutch processed cocoa |
| Soups & Sauces: Fat-free, low-salt broth, consomme and bouillon; homemade soup skimmed of fat; cream soup and sauces made with non-fat milk and fat allowance | Soup made with whole milk or cream; broth containing fat; canned soups; dehydrated soup mixes; bouillon not labeled low-sodium; gravy and sauces made with butter, other animal fat and whole milk |
| Other: Spices, herbs, pepper, lemon juice, garlic and onion powder, Tobasco, catsup, mustard, vinegar, relishes, jam, jelly, marmalade (unsweetened preferred) | Commercially fried foods, pickles, any foods containing items not allowed |
Several studies indicate that coconut water can lower cholesterol levels in an animal model. In one instance, the lipid reducing effect was comparable to that of the cholesterol lowering drug lovastatin (Mevacor). The cardiovascular benefits weren’t isolated to the reduction of LDL (”bad”) cholesterol. There was also a decrease in triglycerides and an increase in the beneficial HDL cholesterol. Another animal study from 1995 demonstrated a 46% increase in HDL cholesterol, a 26% decline in total cholesterol and a 41% reduction in the overall “atheroslerosis index”
600 to 900 mg a day of a standardized garlic extract may help lower cholesterol and prevent hardening of the arteries
