3. Monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, can actually be good for your heart. True or false?
The correct answer is: True
These fats help keep cholesterol from clogging your arteries. One study of heart patients found that a so-called Mediterranean diet rich in monounsaturated fats cut the risk of a heart attack by 80 percent. Just remember, even healthy oils have a lot of calories, so don’t drown your salad in them — the key is always moderation.
4. Scanning the list of ingredients on a box of low-fat cookies, you see “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” near the top. What should you do?
The correct answer is: b. Put them back — they could be bad for your heart.
Anything made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil contains a dietary villain known as trans fat. This type of fat, which lurks in stick margarine, fried foods, and many snack foods, threatens the heart in two ways. Not only does it increase your artery-clogging LDL cholesterol, it also lowers your HDL (“good”) cholesterol. A recent Harvard study of more than 80,000 women suggested that replacing just 2 percent of trans fat calories with calories from healthier fats reduced the risk of heart disease by more than 50 percent. You can help lower your trans fat intake by avoiding potato chips and other foods that crinkle, getting margarine in a tub rather than a stick, and buying crackers made with olive oil. One exception is peanut butter although “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” is usually on the label, it’s still considered good for you.
6. How do fruits and vegetables help prevent heart disease?
The correct answer is: d. All of the above
For all of these reasons, the American Heart Association recommends eating four to five servings each of fruits and vegetables every day if you’re eating 2,000 calories a day. Just remember that some fruits and fruit juices are high in sugar and calories, and should be avoided in large quantities (if you’re diabetic or have questions about this, check with your doctor).