Do Your Meals Provide Support For Heart Health?
Read how we support several nutrition needs for those managing heart health issues.
Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating (SSHE) meal plans follow nutrition guidelines from the American Heart Association (AHA) and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) to support heart health — including management of cholesterol, triglycerides, and sodium levels.
High Cholesterol
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All plans meet AHA and DGA recommendations for cholesterol, saturated fat, total fat, and added sugars.
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Designed to help:
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Reduce saturated fat intake
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Increase fiber intake
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Promote healthy weight loss
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These are all proven ways to lower blood cholesterol.
High Triglycerides
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Recommended strategies: limit added sugars and alcohol and lose weight if needed.
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SSHE meals are well below AHA/DGA limits for added sugars:
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Average 4–4.5% of calories from added sugars
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50–85 calories/day from added sugars
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(Guidelines: <10% of calories; <100 cal/day for women, <150 cal/day for men)
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For best results:
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Choose water or skim milk
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Avoid alcohol
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Maintain a healthy weight
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Add regular physical activity
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📖 More info: Mayo Clinic – Triglycerides
Sodium
While sodium is naturally present in many foods, SSHE meals meet AHA low-sodium guidelines.
Average daily sodium by plan (includes dairy):
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1200-calorie plan: ~1500 mg
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1200-calorie vegetarian: ~1550 mg
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2000-calorie plan: ~2230 mg
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2000-calorie vegetarian: ~2190 mg
If you omit dairy, sodium averages drop slightly (e.g., 2000-calorie plan ≈ 2000 mg/day).
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AHA recommends:
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<2000 mg/day for general heart health
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<1500 mg/day for individuals with heart failure, kidney disease, or requiring stricter control
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In summary:
SSHE meals are designed to support heart health by helping lower cholesterol, triglycerides, and sodium, while promoting balanced nutrition and weight management.
Related Blogs:
The Do's and Don'ts for Heart Health
Be Good To Your Heart With 4 Heart Healthy Tips