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Fill your plate with heart-smart options like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy proteins (like beans, fish, nuts, and lean meats), and low-fat dairy. Cook with healthy oils. Try to limit added sugar, salt, and alcohol. And choose less processed foods when possible.

• What should I eat to be healthy?
• What are healthy alternatives to favorite foods?
• How can I make sense of the nutrition facts on packaged food?
• What is a healthy kids diet?

Your body only needs a little bit of sodium — less than 500 mg a day — to work the way it should. But most of us get way more than that.

In fact, the average American eats over 3,300 mg of sodium a day. That’s more than double the recommended limit of 1,500–2,300 mg. And too much sodium can raise your blood pressure and increase your risk for heart disease and stroke.

The good news? Cutting back — even by just 1,000 mg a day — can make a real difference for your heart. And here’s something surprising: over 70% of the sodium we eat doesn’t come from the salt shaker. It comes from packaged, prepared, and restaurant foods. So even if you don’t think you eat a lot of salt, it might be sneaking in.

• How much salt should I eat?
• How do I reduce sodium intake?
• Is sodium bad for you?
• Why is salt bad for you?
• Should kids have salt?

Don't forget that salt (sodium) can be sneaky

Download Salt (Sodium) Can be Sneaky infographic (PDF)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)

It all comes down to how fast sugars get absorbed. For example, your body spends more time digesting an apple than regular soda. The apple contains fiber, so the natural sugar absorbs more slowly. Because the added sugar in soda hits your system all at once, your body absorbs those sugars much more quickly. Keeping tabs on how much sugar you’re consuming is an important part of a heart-healthy lifestyle, especially if you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes.

• How many grams of sugar per day?
• Is sugar addictive?
• What are healthy alternatives for sugar?

What’s the ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥’s recommendation on added sugar?

• The AHA recommends limiting added sugars to no more than 6% of calories each day.
• Men should consume no more than 9 teaspoons (36 grams or 150 calories) of added sugar per day.
• Women should consume no more than 6 teaspoons (25 grams or 100 calories) per day.

Why sugar matters, and how to cut back

Eating healthy fats in place of unhealthy fats can help lower ‘bad’ cholesterol and reduce inflammation. They are also important for brain development and function.  Healthy fats are in foods including nuts, seeds, and avocados. Fish and seafood like salmon and tuna have healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fats. The best sources of omega-3s are the ones you enjoy the most — because you’ll eat them more often. We need to limit saturated fats. Think about things like high-fat meat, full-fat dairy foods, lard, tallow, butter, and oils like coconut, palm, and palm kernel. Eating too much of these fats can raise your bad cholesterol (LDL), increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke.

• How much fat should I eat each day?
• What are healthy fats?
• What is saturated fat?

How to select foods low in saturated fat

Download Four Ways to Get Good Fats infographic (PDF)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)

Some ultra-processed foods are easy to spotÌý— chips, cookies, sugary drinks, and frozen treats. These foods are made using various levels of processing and with ingredients you wouldn’t use at home such as artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. This processing does not influence their nutritional value.

While the ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥ recommends limiting ultra-processed foods high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats, not all processed foods are the same. Items like whole-grain breads, low-sugar yogurts, and nut butters may still be processed but can be healthy choices depending on their ingredients.

• What are ultra processed foods?
• How can I avoid processed foods?
• How can I better understand what is in the food I buy?
• Are food packaging claims just marketing?

Learn how to eat smart with food nutrition labels

Download Eat Smart with Food Nutrition Labels infographic (PDF)(link opens in new window)(link opens in new window)

Think every meal should include protein? Not necessarily. Most of us are getting far more protein than we actually need — especially when it comes to meat. On the other hand, more than half of Americans do not meet recommendations for seafood, nuts, seeds, and soy products.

The recommended daily allowance of protein is 0.8g/kg for adults. This is equivalent to 45 grams if you weigh 100 lbs, 55 grams of protein for 150 lbs, or about 72 grams for someone who is 200 lbs. In terms of calories, the recommendation is that 10% to 35% of your daily calories come from protein.

• How much protein do I need?
• What does protein do for your body?
• Is red meat, beef or pork healthy?Ìý
• What are lean meats?

For kids and adults over age 2, low-fat or fat-free milk is the way to go. That includes options like 1% milk, fat-free milk, and fortified milk powders. These choices give you the nutrients your body needs — like calcium, vitamin D, and protein — without all the extra saturated fat and calories found in whole milk.

Adults should have 2-3 cups of fat-free or low-fat dairy products daily. Children can have 2-2.5 cups, while teens and older adults can have up to 3 cups.

• Is whole milk, 2% or 1% milk good for you?
• Is milk good or bad if I have high cholesterol?

What milk is good for my kid?

If you don’t drink, don’t start. If you drink, limit yourself to one drink per day for a woman, two drinks for a man. Drinking too much alcohol — especially more than 2 drinks a day or binge drinking — can take a serious toll on your heart. It’s linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, irregular heartbeats, and even heart failure. Over time, heavy drinking can weaken your heart muscle and make it harder for your body to function the way it should.

• How does alcohol impact health?Ìý
• Can red wine lower or raise my blood pressure?Ìý
• How much alcohol can I drink if I had a heart attack?Ìý

The benefits of maintaining a healthy weight go far beyond improved energy and smaller clothing sizes. Working with a dietitian can help you with a plan to lose one to two pounds per week. To lose weight, start by tracking everything you eat. You need to reduce your calories by 500 calories per day to lose about one pound a week or cut 1,000 calories a day to lose about two pounds a week. Although some people can modify their lifestyle and lose weight on their own, many need extra help. A social support system can help encourage your progress and keep you on track.

• How much should I weigh?
• How can I not feel hungry while losing weight?
• Is eating or activity more important for weight loss?
• How can I lose weight in a healthy way?
• What are ways to stop food cravings?
• Do fad diets work?

Introducing Habit Coach

Learn tips to build healthy habits(link opens in new window)