Cardiac Rehab Diet Makeover: Breakfast Makeover II

Before: Sugar cereal with whole milk, glass of orange juice.

After: Whole grain high-fiber cereal (at least 4 to 5 grams of fiber per cup, and less than 10 grams of sugar) with berries and shredded walnuts, whole orange.

A diet high in rapidly absorbed carbohydrates and low in cereal fiber (like sugar cereals) is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes dramatically increases the risk of heart disease. Adding berries helps you reach your five to nine daily servings of fruits and vegetables recommended by the American Heart Association. The nuts contain alpha-linolenic acid (LNA), which can become omega-3 fatty acid in the body, helping prevent heart disease. Subbing a whole orange for the juice increases fiber.