Follow American Heart Association Guidelines

The American Heart Association’s dietary guidelines provide useful parameters for optimum health – and optimum health leads directly to optimum metabolism.

• Dietary fat intake should be between 25 and 35 percent of total calories.
• Saturated fat intake should be less than 7 percent of total calories.
• Polyunsaturated fat should not exceed 10 percent of total calories.
• Cholesterol intake should not exceed 300 milligrams per day.
• Carbohydrate intake should represent 45 to 65 percent of total calories with emphasis on complex carbohydrates.
• Protein intake should constitute the remainder of the calories.
• Sodium intake should be limited to fewer than 2300 milligrams per day.
• Alcohol consumption is not recommended, but if consumed, it should not exceed one to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. One drink is 1 to 1.5 ounces a day of hard liquor, 4 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer.