Eating healthily

For a healthy heart, a low fat, high fibre diet that includes whole grains and plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables (at least five portions a day) is recommended.

Your diet should include no more than one teaspoon of salt a day. Too much salt will increase your blood pressure. Limit the amount of salty foods you eat, such as ready-made meals and canned or tinned food.

Do not eat foods high in saturated fat because this will increase your cholesterol level. These foods include:

• meat pies;
• sausages and fatty cuts of meat;
• butter and ghee;
• lard;
• cream;
• hard cheese;
• cakes and biscuits;
• foods that contain coconut or palm oil.

Eating some foods high in unsaturated fat can help decrease your cholesterol level. These foods include:

• oily fish;
• avocados;
• nuts and seeds;
• sunflower oil;
• rapeseed;
• olive oil.

If you would like some support in eating more healthily, contact your GP practice.

You may also find useful:

• Find out more about eating healthily
• Learn how else you can reduce your risk of CVD
• Find out more about our strategy for preventing CVD related ill-health
• Hear about the CVD services we manage