The Local 6 Get Fit Club Blog

Foods for Heart Health

Healthy New Year
By
Sharon Bartfield, MS, RD, LD/N

Try all of these flavorful powerhouses to achieve heart-wise eating habits. These foods help to prevent heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar. Many of the compounds in these foods are great immune boosting and cancer fighting agents as well!

Fresh Herbs
Fresh herbs make many other foods heart-healthy when they replace salt, fat, and cholesterol. Rosemary, sage, oregano, and thyme contain antioxidants.

Black Beans
Black beans are packed with heart-healthy nutrients including folate, antioxidants, magnesium (for lowering blood pressure), and fiber — which helps control both cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
Tip: Canned black beans are quick additions to soups and salads. Rinse to remove extra sodium.

Red Wine and Resveratrol
If you drink alcohol, a little red wine may be a heart-healthy choice. Resveratrol and catechins, two antioxidants in red wine, may protect artery walls. Alcohol can also boost HDL, the “good” cholesterol.
Tip: Don’t exceed one drink a day for women; one to two drinks for men. Consuming too much alcohol can hurt the heart and increase your risk for certain types of cancer. Alcohol may cause problems for people taking aspirin and other medications, so check with your doctor first.

Fish for Omega-3s
Salmon: A top food for heart health, it’s rich in the omega-3s EPA and DHA. Omega-3s lower risk of rhythm disorders, which can lead to sudden cardiac death. Salmon also lowers blood triglycerides and reduces inflammation. The American Heart Association recommends two servings of salmon or other oily fish a week. Tuna is also a good source of heart-healthy omega-3s. It generally costs less than salmon. Albacore (white tuna) contains more omega-3s than other tuna varieties. Reel in these other sources of omega-3s, too: mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines, and anchovies.
Tip: Grill tuna steak with dill and lemon; choose tuna packed in water, not oil. Bake fish in foil with herbs and veggies.

Almonds
Almonds are full of vitamin E, fiber, plant sterols, and heart healthy fats. Almonds may help lower LDL cholesterol and reduce the risk of diabetes.
Tip: Slivered almonds go well with vegetables, fish, chicken, salads, and even desserts. Toast to enhance almonds’ creamy, mild flavor.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
This oil, made from the first press of olives, is especially rich in heart-healthy antioxidants called polyphenols which may help protect blood vessels. It also contains healthy monounsaturated fats. When olive oil replaces saturated fat (like butter), it can help lower cholesterol levels.
Tip: Use for salads, on cooked veggies, with bread. You may sauté with this oil as well but there is a deterioration of taste when heated above 350 degrees because certain compounds in the oil get burned. A more refined olive oil may work better if cooking at high temperatures.

Walnuts
A small handful of walnuts (1.5 ounces) a day may lower your cholesterol and reduce inflammation in the arteries of the heart. Walnuts are packed with omega-3s,
monounsaturated fats, and fiber. The benefits come when walnuts replace less healthful fats in your diet and when they don’t increase your total calorie count for the day.
Tip: Great as a topping for salads, yogurt, and oatmeal. Try sautéing them in olive oil and tossing with whole grain pasta and vegetables for an alternative to the usual tomato sauce.

Edamame
These green soybeans are moving beyond Japanese restaurants, where they’re a tasty appetizer. They’re packed with soy protein, which can lower blood triglyceride levels. A half cup of edamame also has 9 grams of cholesterol-lowering fiber — equal to four slices of whole-wheat bread.
Tip: Try frozen edamame, boil, and serve warm in the pod. They also taste great in salads.

Tofu
Make more of your meals meatless by using a high quality plant protein such as soy protein. You gain all the heart-healthy minerals, fiber, and polyunsaturated fats of soy without the artery-clogging saturated fat you get from higher fat red meat selections.
Tip: Chop firm tofu, marinate, then grill or stir-fry. Add tofu to soups for an extra protein boost.

Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a hearty, healthy substitute for white potatoes for people concerned about diabetes. With a low glycemic index, these spuds won’t cause a quick spike in blood sugar. Ample fiber, vitamin A, and lycopene add to their heart-healthy profile.
Tip: Enhance their natural sweetness with cinnamon and lime juice, instead of sugary toppings. Try topping it with a little bit of unsweetened chopped pineapple for a sweet treat.

Swiss Chard
The dark green, leafy vegetable is rich in potassium and magnesium, minerals that help control blood pressure. Fiber, vitamin A, and the antioxidants, lutein and zeaxanthin, add to the heart-healthy profile. Spinach is another good option.
Tip: Serve with grilled meats or as a bed for fish. Saute with olive oil and garlic until wilted, season with herbs and pepper and a dash of fresh squeezed lemon.

Carrots
The latest research on carrots shows these sweet, crunchy veggies may help control blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of developing diabetes. They’re also a top cholesterol fighting food, thanks to ample amounts of soluble fiber — the kind found in oats. There is the added benefit of the antioxidant beta carotene.
Tip: Sneak shredded carrots into spaghetti sauce, muffin batter, and even lean ground beef.

Barley
Try this nutty, whole grain in place of rice with dinner or simmer barley into soups and stews. The fiber in barley can help lower cholesterol levels and may lower blood glucose levels, too.
Tip: Whole grain barley is the most nutritious. Pearl barley is quick, but much of the heart healthy fiber has been removed.

Oatmeal
Oats in all forms can help your heart by lowering LDL, the bad cholesterol. A warm bowl of oatmeal fills you up for hours, fights snack attacks, and helps keep blood sugar levels stable over time — making it useful for people with diabetes, too.
Tip: Swap oats for one-third of the flour in pancakes, muffins, and baked goods. Use oats instead of bread crumbs in cooking.

Flaxseed
This shiny, honey-colored seed has three elements that are good for your heart: fiber, phytochemicals called lignans, and ALA, an omega-3 fatty acid found in plants.
Tip: Grind flaxseed into flax meal to get the most benefits. Refrigerate after opening to prevent the fats from oxidizing and getting rancid. Add it to cereal, yogurt, smoothies, and pancake batter.

Low-Fat Dairy
While low-fat dairy is most often touted for bone health, dairy products can also help control high blood pressure. Milk is high in calcium and potassium and yogurt has twice as much of 4 these important minerals. To really boost the calcium and minimize the fat, choose low-fat or non-fat varieties. Greek yogurt has even more calcium and protein than the traditional yogurts.
Tip: Use milk instead of water in instant oatmeal and hot chocolate. Have a serving of low fat yogurt with some added fresh fruit and chopped walnuts for a nutrient dense snack with calcium, potassium, fiber, protein, and omega 3 fats.

Foods Fortified With Sterols
Plants contain cholesterol fighting sterols and stanols. These plant extracts block cholesterol absorption in the gut and can lower LDL levels by 10% without affecting good cholesterol. However, it is difficult to get the cholesterol lowering benefit from just vegetable consumption alone. Look for products with these added sterols such as Benecol or Promise Active Light Margarines, soy milk, and orange juice.
Tip: Consume at least 2 grams of sterols a day.

Coffee
Coffee and tea may help protect your heart by warding off type 2 diabetes. Studies show that people who drink 3-4 cups a day may cut their risk by 25% — and even decaffeinated coffee works. Caution is due, however, for those who already have diabetes or hypertension; caffeine can complicate these conditions.
Tip: Choose black coffee, coffee with nonfat milk or a non-fat latte to limit fat and calories.

Kosher Salt
This may be worth a try for people trying to control high blood pressure. It has the same amount of sodium as table salt by weight but half the sodium of table salt by volume, thanks to its large crystals. Rather than the 2325 mg of sodium in a teaspoon of table salt, a teaspoon of Kosher salt has 1,120 milligrams of sodium.
Tip: Mix with your favorite herbs for a homemade, low-salt spice blend. Be sure to still measure carefully because it is still not considered low sodium.

Cherries
Cherries are packed with anthocyanins, an antioxidant believed to help protect blood vessels. Cherries in any form provide these heart-healthy nutrients: the larger heart-shaped sweet cherries, the sour cherries used for baking, as well as dried cherries and cherry juice.
Tip: Sprinkle dried cherries into cereal, muffin batter, green salads and wild rice.

Blueberries
The list of healthy nutrients in blueberries is extensive: anthocyanins give them their deep blue color and support heart health. Blueberries also contain ellagic acid, beta-carotene, lutein, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, potassium, and fiber.
Tip: Add fresh or dried blueberries to cereal, pancakes, or yogurt. Puree a batch for a dessert sauce or a topping for whole grain pancakes, waffles, or French toast instead of syrup.

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