Nutrition after a heart attack

• Reduce your chances of having another heart attack 
• Help reduce your cholesterol and blood pressure 
• Help you feel healthier and have more energy 
• Help you reach and stay at a healthy weight 
• Reduce your chances of developing diabetes and help you control your diabetes. 

Heart healthy eating 

1. Vegetables and grains: Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits and wholegrains (brown rice, wholegrain breads and cereals). Aim for 5 vegetables and 2 fruit servings each day. 
2. Proteins: Eat a variety of healthy protein-filled foods over the week. For example: eggs, lean chicken, fish and seafood, and legumes (such as beans and lentils). Eat red meat less often (1-3 times a week) and avoid processed and deli meats. 
3. Dairy: Choose unflavoured and reduced-fat milk, yoghurt and cheese. 
4. Fats: Choose healthy fats such as olives, avocados, nuts and seeds and cooking oils made from these. 
5. Salt: Use herbs and spices to add flavour instead of salt. 

Understanding fats  

• Biscuits, pastries, cakes and muffins  
• Processed meat, such as ham, bacon, sausages, hot dogs, tinned meat, corned meat, pies  
• Takeaway foods, such as hamburgers, pizza, hot chips, potato chips, Asian foods, pasta, fried chicken 
• Packaged foods and snack foods, such as chips 
• Sauces (especially creamy ones).  

What about salt? 

Portion sizes 

Reading food labels  

• Fat – animal fat, vegetable oil, vegetable fat, copha, palm oil, coconut oil. 
• Salt – sodium, monosodium glutamate, vegetable salt. 
• Sugar – glucose, golden syrup, honey, maple syrup, sucrose. 

What about alcohol?  

What is a standard drink? 

A standard drink is a can of mid-strength beer, a small glass of wine or a nip of spirits, such as these: 

Standard drinks guide	375ml – Mid-strength beer 3.5% alc vol	100ml – Standard serve of red wine 13.5% alc vol	250ml – Pre-mixed full-strength spirits 5% alc vol	30ml – High strength spirits 40% alc vol

Note: the examples vary depending on the amount (mL) and alcoholic strength]