In recognition of American Heart Month, our Lifestyle Medicine Diabetes Education & Nutrition team offers four tips for heart healthy eating:
- Find the fiber! Found in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, fiber provides a host of health benefits including supporting a healthy heart! Try swapping out refined grains (like white bread) with whole grains (like whole grain bread), or try adding quinoa or legumes (beans, lentils) with your meals. Fresh fruit and vegetables can be great choices for snacks throughout the day.
- Choose healthy proteins such as nuts, legumes, fish, or lean meat such as chicken and turkey. Avoiding heavily processed meats will help to avoid excessive fat and sodium.
- Be mindful of salt intake. One basic strategy to limit salt intake is to avoid adding salt to your foods at meal times. Other ways to reduce daily salt intake is to limit how often you eat out at restaurants or fast food, limiting heavily processed foods such as boxed dinners, canned soup, or meats such as bacon, sausage, or pepperoni.
- Choose healthy fats such olive, canola, or avocado oil. Foods naturally high in heart healthy fats include fatty fish such as salmon, nuts, seeds, and avocados. While fat can be included in a healthy diet, all types of fat are high in calories so remaining mindful of portion is important.
Learn more about Valley’s Diabetes Education and Nutrition program.
