Newspaper Page Text
The Lee County Ledger
Wednesday, August 31,2005 - Page 1C
C-Section
N o need to be confused at the supermarket when
looking for nutritious foods —just look for the
one, true heart-check mark created by the Ameri
can Heart Association's Food Certification Program.
It’s the familiar red heart with the white check mark.
This program of product certification, backed by solid
science, has made it foolproof to find heart-healthy
foods quickly and reliably. All products bearing this
logo meet the association’s nutrition criteria per stand
ard serving to be:
■ Low fat (less than or equal to 3 grams)
■ Low saturated fat (less than or equal to 1 gram)
Ham and Broccoli With Rotini
Serves 4(11/2 cups per serving)
Perfect for a rainy night, this one-dish
meal is really quick and easy to prepare.
4 quarts water
6 ounces dried whole-wheat or regular rotini
1 1/2 cups small broccoli florets
1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
4 slices reduced-fat American cheese
3 ounces low-fat, lower-sodium ham,
thinly sliced and chopped
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
In a stockpot, bring the water to a boil over high heat.
Boil the pasta for 7 minutes.
Stir in the broccoli and bell pepper. Cook for 2 to 3
minutes, or until the broccoli is tender-crisp. Drain
well in a colander. Return to the pot.
Stir in the remaining ingredients. Spoon the mixture
onto plates.
Nutrition Analysis (per serving): 292 Calories, 5.0g
Total Fat (2.5g Saturated, 0.5g Polyunsaturated, 0.5g
Monounsaturated), 19mg Cholesterol, 587mg Sodium,
48g Carbohydrates (3g Fiber, 7g Sugar), 17g Protein
Dietary Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 lean meat
This recipe is reprinted with permission from
American Heart Association No-Fad Diet: A Personal
Plan for Healthy Weight Loss. Copyright © 2005 by
the American Heart Association. Published by
Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Random
House, Inc. Available from booksellers everywhere.
■ Low cholesterol (less than or equal to 20 milligrams)
■ Moderate in sodium (less than or equal to 480
milligrams for individual foods)
■ Nutritious (containing at least 10 percent of the
Daily Value of one or more of these naturally
occurring nutrients: protein, vitamin A, vitamin C,
calcium, iron or dietary fiber).
■ For meats to be eligible for the heart-check mark,
they must meet the USDA standard for “extra lean.”
Log on to heartcheckmark.org for more informa
tion and to create a grocery list you can print and
take with you to the store.
What Is
Cholesterol?
Cholesterol can be both good and bad, so
it’s critical to learn how it affects your
health, what your levels are and how to
manage it.
■ LDL (low-density lipoprotein) choles
terol is considered “bad” cholesterol,
because it can build up as plaque and clog
arteries. A level of 130 or less is near
optimal for most people; 160 or higher
increases the risk of heart disease.
■ HDL (high-density lipoprotein) choles
terol is the “good” cholesterol. Medical
experts believe it removes excess cho
lesterol from the arteries. A level of 40 or
less increases the risk of heart disease.
■ Triglyceride (TG) is a form of fat, and
many people with heart disease and high
LDL levels have high TG levels, as do
diabetics and obese people. Levels of
150 are normal; 200 or more may require
treatment.
To control your cholesterol, the American
Heart Association recommends you get a
cholesterol screening, maintain a healthy
weight, be active, follow your healthcare
professional’s recommendations and eat
foods low in saturated fat and trans fat, as
well as cholesterol.
FAMILY FEATURES EDITORIAL SYNDICATE
A ny journey begins with the first step. So why not take time this September,
National Cholesterol Month, to begin your journey toward better health?
When you follow tips from the American Fleart Association, the path to
well-being for you and your family can be easy — and life-saving.
Coronary heart disease is the single largest killer of Americans, so managing
cholesterol levels and taking care of your heart can help you lead a longer, healthier
life. Who wouldn’t be happier about that?
“It’s simple to get started on the road to heart health,” says Alice Lichtenstein
D.Sc., Gershof, Professor of Nutrition, USDA Human Nutrition Research Center,
Tufts University and Chair of the American Heart Association Nutrition Commit
tee. “Be aware of your blood cholesterol levels.” If you are told lower your “bad”
cholesterol, select foods low in saturated and trans fats as well as cholesterol, such
as skim milk, lean meats, poultry, fish and plenty of fruits and vegetables. “And,”
she says, “get up and move! Even small changes can add up to significant benefits.”
When you follow tips from the
American Heart Association, the path
to well-being for you and your family
can be easy—and life-saving.
Move It!
It’s really this easy: Get yourself and your
family into the healthy habit of activity. You
don’t have to call it exercise or working out.
Simply look for chances to be more active
during the day. Walk the mall before shop
ping, choose a flight of stairs over an esca
lator or take 10- to 15-minute walking
breaks while watching TV or sitting for
some other activity. Use variety to keep
your interest up. Walk one day, swim the
next, then go for a bike ride on the
weekend.
Build a
Healthy Diet.
Smart eating can help lower your cho
lesterol and maintain a healthy blood
cholesterol level. So make sure you're
selecting the right foods and:
■ Watch calorie intake by eating a wide
variety of foods low in saturated fat and
cholesterol.
■ Eat at least five servings of fruits and
vegetables; more is better. Diets high in
fruits and vegetables are associated with
decreased risk of cardiovascular disease.
■ Eat six or more servings of whole-grain
cereals, breads and pasta.
■ Eat fish, poultry without skin and leaner
cuts of meat instead of fatty ones.
■ Eat fat-free or 1 % dairy products rather
than those from whole milk.
Heart-healthy eating is good for every
one. And creating a balanced, nutritious
eating plan is as simple as 1-2-3 with the
help of the association's distinctive red
heart with the white check mark. First, log
on to heartcheckmark.org. There, you’ll
find a complete list of food items certified
to be heart-healthy. Second, create and
print your healthy-diet list to take with you
to the supermarket. Third, look for the
heart-check mark while shopping to easily
and reliably find heart-healthy foods in
your grocery store.
To learn more about reducing the risk
of heart disease and stroke through good
nutrition, visit americanheaif.org or call
1-800-AHA-USA1 for your free copy of
the “Shop Smart with Heart” brochure.
Shop smart!
American
Heart
Association
Products displaying the
heart-check mark meet
American Heart Association
food criteria for saturated
fat and cholesterol for
healthy people over age 2.
www.heartcheckmark.org
Live well!
Look for
the heart-check mark.
Easy Mo
for
Healthy
Living