Heart-Healthy Eating

Heart-healthy eating can be defined as a pattern of eating that boosts your cardiovascular health. What you eat matters, especially when it comes to taking care of your heart. Your diet plays a significant role in your overall heart health. 

Adopting a heart-healthy diet means including whole fruits, vegetables, and grains in your meals. A heart-healthy diet also means adopting healthy eating habits, such as portion control and meal planning.

Eating more fruits and vegetables is one of the best things you can do for your heart health. 

Fruits and vegetables are low in calories, rich in dietary fiber, and contain lots of vitamins and minerals your body needs. Additionally, eating more fruits and vegetables can help you cut back on other higher-calorie foods, such as fast food, soda, cookies, and white bread. 

It is easy to incorporate fruits and vegetables into your diet. Keep your countertop and fridge stocked with clean and washed fruits and vegetables, so you have something healthy to grab when you want a quick snack! You can add fruits and vegetables to just about any meal, from sandwiches and stir-fries to pasta and salads. 

Some fruits and vegetables that you should limit due to the way they are packaged or prepared include:

• Fried or breaded vegetables
• Canned fruits in heavy syrup
• Frozen fruits with additional sugar added

When shopping for fruits and vegetables, stick to:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Frozen fruits and vegetables with no added sugars
• Canned fruit packed with either water or juice
• Low-sodium canned vegetables

Fruits and vegetables that are really great for your heart health include:

Leafy green vegetables:  Think kale, spinach, and collard greens. They contain vitamin K, which helps promote proper blood clotting and protects your arteries. Leafy greens are also high in nitrates, which help control blood pressure. 

Berries: Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and strawberries are all full of essential nutrients your body needs to help reduce risk factors for heart disease. Plus, berries are sweet and can make a great snack or dessert. 

Avocados: Avocados have many heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, which can help lower your bad cholesterol and thus reduce your risk of heart disease. They also contain about 21% of your daily potassium. 

Tomatoes: Tomatoes are full of antioxidants, which help protect your body against oxidative damage and inflammation (contributors to heart disease). 

Edamame: Edamame is a soybean that is often used in Asian cuisine. It has soy isoflavones, which can help lower your cholesterol levels. 

Most people’s diets are full of grains; however, they are often not the right kind of grains. When it comes to grains, you want to go with whole grains, which are full of the proper nutrients and fibers your body needs to care for your heart. 

When shopping for grains, there are some grain-based products you should avoid: 

• White refined flour
• White bread
• Frozen waffles
• Cornbread
• Doughnuts
• Biscuits
• Quick bread
• Cakes
• Egg noodles 
• High-fat snack crackers

Instead, when you go shopping for grains, fill up your cart with: 

• Whole-wheat flour
• Whole-grain bread
• High-fiber cereal with more than 5g per serving
• Brown rice
• Barley
• Buckwheat
• Rye
• Quinoa
• Whole-grain pasta
• Oatmeal

Eating more whole grains, and avoiding refined carbohydrates, is a great way to take care of your heart. When choosing any product with grain, always go for the whole-grain option. 

Getting your proteins is an essential part of taking care of your body. A lot of great sources of whole foods contain protein: 

• Tofu
• Unsalted nuts and seeds
• Nut butter 
• Beans
• Peas
• Lentils such as garbanzo beans and black beans
• Lean red meats, such as lean ground beef, beef sirloin, or pork shoulder
• Lean poultry, such as chicken or turkey breasts without skin, or ground chicken and turkey
• Seafood
• Shellfish

Your diet should minimize unhealthy fats, such as saturated and trans fats. Too much fat can lead to plaque buildup in your arteries, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke. 

It is essential to know what fats to minimize and what to maximize to care for your heart. Ideally, you would want to avoid trans fats and limit saturated fats. 

Fats that you should limit in your diet include: 

• Butter
• Lard
• Bacon fat
• Cream sauce
• Non-dairy creamers
• Cocoa butter
• Coconut, cottonseed, palm, and palm kernel oils 

Fats you should eat and use: 

• Olive oil
• Canola oil
• Vegetable and nut oils
• Nuts, seeds
• Avocados
• Trans-fat-free margarine

Some of the best fats for your body are those found in avocados, nuts, seeds, and certain fish. Even when eating healthy fats, it is important to be moderate. 

Smart fat swaps:

• When eating salads, use oil-based salad dressings, such as Italian or balsamic vinaigrette, instead of creamy dressings. 
• When using mayo, opt for low-fat or light mayo.
• Use vegetable oils instead of butter when cooking.

High salt consumption means increased amounts of sodium in the body, which can lead to high blood pressure and put you at risk for heart disease. Limiting and reducing salt as much as possible is, therefore, important. 

The first step is limiting the amount of salt you add to your food when cooking and eating at the table. However, the truth is that most of the salt that you eat comes from canned and processed foods. 

Frozen dinners, baked goods, and canned soups contain high amounts of sodium, the formal name for salt. 

Check the food label to opt for reduced sodium or no salt items. Also, preparing your food from scratch instead of using processed foods is a great way to reduce salt in your diet. 

As a side note, be careful with the condiments (and flavoring) you consume. Many commonly used condiments are high in sodium. Look for low or reduced-sodium versions. 

Foods to avoid: 

• Table salt
• Canned soups and prepared food
• Condiments like soy sauce, ketchup, and mayonnaise
• Restaurant meals
• Tomato juice

Low salt items to eat: 

• Use herbs and spices to season food.
• Use salt-free seasoning blends.
• Purchase canned soups with zero or reduced salt.
• Purchase salt-free or reduced salt versions of your favorite condiments like soy sauce, ketchup, and mayonnaise.

The key to a heart-healthy diet is to eat whole foods that give your body the nutrients it needs. The best way to change what you eat is to plan. Each week, create a meal plan that includes foods that are good for your heart. 

A heart-healthy meal should:

• Emphasize vegetables, fruits, and whole grains 
• Choose lean protein and healthy fats
• Limit salty foods

Planning out what to eat can help you switch to a healthier diet that is good for your taste buds and your body. 

Remember, it is okay to allow yourself the occasional treat as well. It is okay to treat yourself to something that doesn’t fit in with a heart-healthy diet as long as it is a treat and not what you eat daily. 

Eating a heart-healthy diet is a necessary lifestyle change to improve your overall heart health. 

Dr. Lilian Ahiable is a highly-qualified cardiologist who cares deeply about her patient’s well-being. Call us to schedule a consultation with Dr. Ahiable today or request an appointment online. Prioritize your heart health.