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>> [Music] now, Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute presents Project Health Live.
>> Now with me I have Jan Christianson, a registered dietician. I wanted to ask you,
is there a food that can help prevent heart disease?
>> There's no single food or dietary supplement that prevents heart disease. What we really
need to do is aim for a nutritionally balanced diet with four main features. First that emphasizes
plant foods. Vegetables. Fruits. Whole grains. Legumes. Nuts. Seeds and non-tropical oils
like olive and canola oil. Second, it includes at least two fatty fish meals per week. Fish
and seafood provide EPA and DHA which are omega 3 fatty acids that may offer some protection
against heart disease. Third, a heart-healthy eating plan may include other lean protein
sources. Fat-free and low-fat dairy products and skinless poultry. And finally it limits
added sugars, sodium and red meats. And if necessary, for individuals who are overweight,
a heart-healthy eating plan also limits calories to help one achieve and maintain a healthier
body weight.
>> It sounds like a lot of delicious whole foods. Can you tell me briefly, how is this
different than the typical American diet?
>> Well it's much higher in fiber. Higher in health-promoting plant compounds called
phytochemicals. And higher in omega 3 fatty acids. But much less saturated fat. Transfats.
Sodium and added sugars.
>> And these are all things we have been told --
>> -- that we need to limit in our diet. How fabulous. Well thank you so much.