It’s Heart Health Month, so let’s talk eating for a healthy heart!
Pump up the fiber!
Go for those fruits and vegetables. Remember they can be canned, fresh or frozen.
Look for whole grains like 100% whole wheat bread, oatmeal, brown rice, and quinoa.
Snack on nuts and seeds; mix it up with a homemade trail mix (nut/seeds of your choice, whole grain cereal and a sprinkle of sweetness—maybe some dark chocolate).
Don’t underestimate beans for a power-packed combo of fiber and protein. Heat up a side of black beans, roast chickpeas for a snack or warm up with a crock pot of baked beans.
Rock the healthy fats!
Those being mono and poly-unsaturated fats.
Use olive oil in place of butter more often.
Chunk up avocado on your salad or smash it and spread it on toast.
Salmon-try fresh, frozen, or canned. On a salad, baked for dinner or smoked on a bagel thin for breakfast.
Those powerhouse nuts and seeds are a winner here too!
Less often eat the marbled meats, chicken skins, fatty pork off the bone and heavy cheese dishes.
Put a hold on the sugar and salt!
Be a food label investigator and watch for that sneaky sugar. Did you know that 4 grams of sugar is equal to 1 teaspoon? Some cereals alone have our daily cap of sugar in one serving (which is 6-9 teaspoons). Kids snack foods such as fruit gummies, bars and pouches have surprisingly high amounts of added sugar despite claims. Sports drinks, soda, juices, and teas are all other culprits of high added sugar.
You may not add salt at the table however salt is just as plentiful as sugar in many packaged and processed foods. Think deli meats, canned pastas and soups, frozen meals and even some bread-type items.
Keep that ticker in check!
For more related tips, here are some related articles from the Wednesdays with Whitney archive: