Food for a Healthy Heart
In 1963, February was designated as American Heart Month by President Johnson as a way to bring attention to “the nationwide problem of the heart and blood-vessel diseases, and to support the programs required to bring about its solution.”
A big contributor to heart health is what you eat. Simply making good food choices can improve factors that can lead to heart complications such as high cholesterol, hypertension, obesity, and risk of diabetes.
Portion Control:
Taking control of the amount of food that you eat is a great first step to making heart-healthy food choices. The plate method is a great way to control how much you eat of each type of food. Divide your plate into three sections.
One quarter should be devoted to grains, such as bread, brown rice, and whole-grain pasta.
The next quarter is used for protein-based foods, like meat, fish, eggs, or beans.
The remaining space on your plate should be filled with non-starchy vegetables and fruits.
Food Selection:
What you eat is just as important as how much you eat.
Choose lean meat, fish, and skinless poultry
Prepare your protein choice without added fats.
Add a variety of fruits and vegetables to your weekly meals
When possible choose whole-grains. For example, switching white rice for brown rice.
Choose low-fat content dairy options or use dairy alternatives such as almond milk.
Avoid drinks with added sugars like soda. A great alternative is flavored water.
Limit the amount of salt in your foods by choosing low sodium options.
Keep these helpful tips in mind when preparing your next meal!
Source: The American Heart Association
The Plate Method