American Heart Association

The following guidelines are consistent with those promoted the  organization:

• Eat a nutritionally adequate diet consisting of a variety of foods.

• Reduce consumption of fat, especially saturated fat, and cholesterol.

• Achieve and maintain an appropriate body weight.

• Increase consumption of complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber.

• Reduce intake of sodium.

• Consume alcohol in moderation, if at all. Children, adolescents, and pregnant women should abstain.

• Elimination of cigarette smoking

• Appropriate levels of caloric intake and physical activity to prevent obesity and reduce weight in those who are overweight

• Consumption of 30% or less of the day’s total calories from fat

• Consumption of 8% to 10% of total calories from saturated fatty acids

• Consumption of up to 10% of total calories from polyunsaturated fatty acids

• Consumption of up to 15% of total calories from monounsaturated fatty acids

• Consumption of less than 300 mg/d of cholesterol

• Consumption of no more than 2.4 g/d of sodium

• Consumption of 55% to 60% of calories as complex carbohydrates

• For those who drink and those for whom alcohol (ethanol) is not contraindicated, consumption should not exceed 2 drinks (1 to 2 oz of ethanol) per day