Eat Your Way to a Healthier Heart
Proper nutrition is one of the most important aspects in a healthy lifestyle. It’s also something that can help you fight off heart disease before it sets in! Many adults associate the word “diet” with a negative connotation, because the typical diets you hear about focus on what you should be taking out of your meals. Sure, you want to avoid eating too much of any one thing, and if you eat a lot of foods that are high in salt, sugar, and carbohydrates, then you probably want to cut down on those foods.
But a friendlier way to approach a healthy diet is to focus on the foods you should be adding to your daily meals. So let’s take a look!
Fruits and Veggies
You should be eating about two cups of fruit and two cups of vegetables every day. This might seem like a lot at first, but if you break down those two cups into three main meals (and even a few snacks in between), it’s nothing to be afraid of.
Try to get as much variety as possible with these foods because no one fruit or vegetable contains every single nutrient needed by your body. The best way to ensure that you’re getting a good variety is pretty simple: just focus on the colors! Believe it or not, this is one technique that many nutritionists recommend, and it’s pretty effective. Just try to include as many colors as possible, and you’ll be good to go.
Fiber
Fiber not only keeps your digestive system running regularly; it can also lower cholesterol. Dietary fiber is technically a carbohydrate, but your body can’t digest it. As it passes through your system, it can help your body digest certain foods and absorb essential nutrients. There are two types of fiber — soluble and insoluble — both of which are important. High-fiber foods typically contain both types.
There are plenty of foods high in fiber, so being a picky eater is no excuse! Whole grains and oats are good sources of fiber, as are nuts, seeds, lentils, and legumes, such as beans. Citrus fruits, apples, and certain vegetables are also good sources of fiber.
Not All Fats Are Equal
When people talk about food being too high in fat, they’re generally referring to saturated fats. Unsaturated fats, however, are good for you. Saturated fats are found in animal by-products (like cheese and butter), dark meats (like beef and pork), processed meats, gravies made from animal fat, and things called “tropical oils” (such as coconut oil and palm oil). Fried foods and sugary foods, of course, are also high in saturated fats (and salt… and sugar…and carbs….).
Unsaturated fats are sometimes called “the ‘good’ fat,” because they’re much better than saturated fats, but should still be consumed in moderation. Foods with unsaturated fats have been shown to reduce cholesterol and inflammation, which are two things that can help achieve a healthier heart. Foods with “good” fat include olive oil, most nut oils and butters, olives, avocados, fish, flax seeds, soybean oil, and canola oil, just to name a few. These foods are definitely good additions to a healthy diet.
Food Is Your Friend
Your body needs food. There’s no way around it. While it’s important that you make healthy choices regarding the types of foods you eat, it’s just as important that you don’t skip meals. Most nutritionists agree that it’s better to eat smaller meals and snacks more frequently than to eat three very large meals per day; if you’re watching your weight, it’s also very important that you don’t skip meals. Skipping meals actually lowers your metabolism and deprives your body of nutrients, which makes it that much more difficult to process foods when you do eat.
It’s definitely possible to eat your way to a healthy heart. And if you have any recommendations for more heart-healthy foods, we want to hear them!
