Eat cheese, eggs and drink full-fat milk but limit meat, Heart Foundation says
Healthy Australians can indulge in the joy of full-fat milk, cheese and yoghurt without increasing their risk of heart disease or stroke, according to new advice from the Heart Foundation.
But people should limit how much red meat they eat to about three meals a week if they want to keep their heart in good shape.
The foundation has made the declarations in its latest advice on meat, dairy and eggs, which follows a major review of Australian and international research.
The authority has hosed down concerns about full-fat dairy products, finding they ultimately have a neutral effect on a person’s risk of heart disease or stroke.
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As a result, there was not enough evidence to suggest restricting them was necessary for healthy people.
The foundation previously recommended everyone stick with reduced-fat dairy products, but now says that’s only necessary for those with high cholesterol, heart disease or type-two diabetes.
For the first time, it also encouraged all Australians to restrict their consumption of unprocessed beef, lamb, pork and veal to 350g a week, equating to about three lean red-meat meals.
Processed or deli meats should be limited as they have been consistently linked to a higher risk of heart disease and other chronic conditions.
On eggs, the foundation lifted the weekly limit that healthy people should eat.
But it said people with type-two diabetes should stick to seven eggs a week or fewer, as eating more had been linked to a higher rate of heart disease and stroke.
The same was true for people already experiencing heart disease.
Heart Foundation dietician Sian Armstrong said protecting your heart was about more than focusing on any one food.
“For heart-healthy eating it’s not just about how many eggs you have a week, or whether you have reduced or full-fat milk. It’s about the whole eating pattern,” she said.
“So we’re really encouraging people to look at not just one different food, but what they’re eating over days, weeks and even months.”
The Heart Foundation said it ultimately hoped Australians would eat plenty of plant-based foods.
That includes lots of vegetables, fruits and whole grains, along with proteins such as beans, lentils and tofu, as well as some fish and seafood.