While some heart disease risk factors, such as family history, are out of your control, a healthy diet and lifestyle are your best weapons for prevention. Start improving your diet today with these 8 simple heart healthy eating tips.
1. Eat the Right Fats
Studies suggest that replacing saturated fats (ex. butter) with plant-based sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats may help lower blood cholesterol. Great sources of healthy fats include unsalted nuts and seeds, olive and canola oils, soybeans and other soy products, nut butters, fatty fish such as salmon, and avocado.
2. Eat More Fish
Fish—especially "oily" kinds, such as salmon—are rich in the omega-3 fatty acids that, studies suggest, protect the heart. It is recommended to strive to eat at least 2 servings of fish per week. Not into fish? No worries. Including foods such as tofu (or other soy products), flaxseed or flaxseed oil, nuts and seeds (particularly walnuts, pumpkin and hemp seeds), vegetable oils (canola, soybean, mustard, walnut and parilla seed oils), omega-3 rich eggs, some green leafy vegetables (cabbage, broccoli and purslane), and supplements made from fish oil, algae or krill oil.
3. Reach for a Banana
One banana has 422 mg of potassium, which is approximately 12 percent of your recommended daily dose. Research suggests that diets rich in potassium can help lower blood pressure. Other good sources of potassium include sweet potatoes (694 mg for one medium), non-fat yogurt (579 mg for 1 cup) and spinach (419 mg for ½ cup, cooked).
4. Be Aware of "Sat Fat" on the Label
Be mindful of the saturated fat content in the foods you eat. You can use the percent of daily value (DV) information on a product’s Nutrition Facts label to help you decide if the food is a smart choice from a saturated-fat perspective. Five percent or less of the DV is low—and a good choice. Twenty percent DV or more is high—and "red flags" the food as one to limit. Low-fat Cheddar, which contains 1.2 grams of saturated fat (6% DV) per ounce, is significantly lower in saturated fat than its full-fat counterpart (which weighs in at 6 grams of saturated fat, or 30% DV, per ounce).
5. Go Nuts for Nuts
Nuts and seeds tend to be very high in fat and calories, but generally most of the fat is the heart-healthy polyunsaturated or monounsaturated kind. Some varieties, however, such as macadamia nuts, are also high in saturated fat so check labels.
6. Low Sodium is the Key
Compare sodium content for similar foods and you can save hundreds of milligrams of sodium. High sodium foods contribute to high blood pressure and hypertension. For example, the sodium content for frozen pizzas ranges from 450 mg to more than 1,200 mg. The range among salad dressings is 110 to 505. Salsas: 120 to 240. Canned tuna fish: 35mg to 380mg. Canned soups: 100mg to 2000mg!When dining out, watch out for high-sodium foods. Sneaky sodium sources include anything that’s pickled, smoked or served in a broth or "au jus." Cocktail, soy and teriyaki sauces also are packed with sodium.
7. Choose Fruit
A cup of fruit juice offers vitamins, minerals and other phytochemicals, but if you’re watching your weight and want heart healthy benefits as well, whole fruits are smarter choices. They contain more fiber, which helps you feel full and support heart health, and have fewer calories. For example, one medium orange has 62 calories and 3 grams of fiber, whereas an eight-ounce glass of OJ has about 120 calories and no fiber.
8. Try Whole Grains
Make buckwheat pancakes. Serve stir-fry over bulgur or quinoa. Substitute millet for white rice in curry dishes. Whole grains have more fiber and nutrients than refined carbohydrates.
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