Simple Dietary Changes To Keep Your Heart Healthy

Limit your portion sizes.

Both what you eat and how much of it matter. Eating until you're full, filling up in seconds, and overfilling your plate might consume more calories than is healthy. Restaurant portions are frequently more significant than anyone needs.

You may improve the health of your heart and waistline as well as your nutrition by following a few easy recommendations for portion control:

To help you regulate your servings, use a tiny plate or dish.

Consume more nutrient-rich, low-calorie foods like fruits and vegetables.

Consume high-calorie, high-sodium items in moderation, such as processed, refined, or fast food.

Also, it's critical to monitor your serving sizes.

Consume more fruits and vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables are excellent providers of vitamins and minerals. Fruits and vegetables are high in dietary fiber and low in calories.

Vegetables and fruits include compounds that may help prevent cardiovascular disease, just as other plants or plant-based diets. Eating more fruits and vegetables may reduce your consumption of high-calorie meals like meat, cheese, and snack foods.

Fruits and vegetables to eat

Fruits and vegetables, whether fresh or frozen

Canned vegetables low in sodium

Canned fruit in a juice or water mixture

Fruits and vegetables to limit

Coconut

Veggies in rich sauces

Batter-fried or fried veggies

Fruit in cans packed with thick syrup

Frozen fruit that has been sweetened

Select whole grains

Fiber and other nutrients that control blood pressure and heart health can be found in whole grains. Adopting straightforward substitutes for refined grain products may boost the proportion of whole grains in a heart-healthy diet.

Grain products to eat

Whole-wheat flour

Whole-grain bread, preferably made entirely of whole grains or whole wheat.

Cereal high in fiber with 5 g or more per serving

Whole grains like buckwheat, barley, and brown rice (kasha)

Whole-grain pasta

Oatmeal (steel-cut or regular)

Grain products to limit or avoid

White, refined flour

White bread

Muffins

Frozen waffles

Cornbread

Doughnuts

Biscuits

Quick bread

Cakes

Pies

Egg noodles

Buttered popcorn

High-fat snack crackers

Limit unhealthy fats

One of the most important steps to lowering your blood cholesterol and lowering your risk of coronary heart disease is to limit the amount of saturated and trans fats you consume.

Atherosclerosis, or plaque formation in the arteries due to elevated blood cholesterol, can raise the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Fats to consume

Olive oil

Canola oil

Vegetable and nut oils

Margarine, trans-fat-free

Margarine that lowers cholesterol, such Smart Balance, Promise Activ, or Benecol

Nuts, seeds

Avocados

Fats to limit

Butter

Lard

Bacon fat

Gravy

Cream sauce

Nondairy creamers

Hydrogenated shortening and margarine

Cocoa butter, found in chocolate

Coconut, palm, cottonseed, and palm kernel oils

Choose low-fat protein sources

Some of the most significant protein sources include eggs, low-fat dairy products, lean meat, poultry, and fish. Pick lower-fat options like skim milk instead of whole milk and skinless chicken breasts instead of fried chicken patties.

Proteins to consume

Dairy items with little to no fat, like skim or low-fat (1%) milk, yogurt, and cheese

Eggs

Fish, particularly fatty cold-water species like salmon.

Skinless poultry

Legumes

Soybeans and goods made from them, such as tofu and soy burgers

Lean ground meats

Proteins to limit or avoid

Full-fat milk and other dairy products

Organ meats, such as liver

Fatty and marbled meats

Spareribs

Hot dogs and sausages

Bacon

Fried or breaded meats

Limit or reduce salt (sodium)

High blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease, can result from overeating salt. A heart-healthy diet must include a salt limit (sodium). According to the American Heart Association:

A healthy adult shouldn't consume more sodium than 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day (about a teaspoon of salt)

The ideal sodium intake for most persons is 1,500 mg per day.

Low-salt items to consume

Herbs and spices

Salt-free seasoning blends

Canned soups or prepared foods with either reduced or no salt added

Reduced-salt versions of condiments like reduced-salt ketchup and soy sauce are available.

High-salt items to limit or avoid

Table salt

Frozen dinners and prepared items like canned soups

Tomato juice

Condiments like mayonnaise, ketchup, and soy sauce

Restaurant meals

Even though each of these adjustments is quick and easy to make, they can all contribute to a better lifestyle for your heart and you.