The Step 1 Diet

The American Heart Association does not actually use the term Step 1 diet anymore. The dietary guidelines were revised in 2000 and began to build upon the Step 1 diet more. However, it is still simple to understand what the Step 1 diet is because it is the basic building block for the American Heart Association recommended diet.

Purpose

The purpose of the Step 1 diet that the American Heart Association recommends is to reduce high cholesterol levels. The Step 1 diet restricts people to a diet with a total fat of 30 percent for the total amount of calories. It requires that the amount of cholesterol that you take in must be less than 300 mg per day. The Step 1 diet was actually meant for people to have a starting point if they had been diagnosed with high cholesterol levels.

Importance

The American Heart Association emphasized the importance of a diet that is low in saturated and trans fat as well as high in fruits, whole grains and vegetables. They also looked at fat free or low fat dairy products as well as lean meats, fish and poultry as a healthy platform in your diet. The Step 1 diet has all of these elements found within it.