Heart-Healthy Foods Most People Aren’t Eating

By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD 

With heart disease as the leading cause of death and one of the most common health issues in the United States, chances are you or someone you know takes a heart medication. While medications are often necessary to keep heart disease in check, what you eat can be more powerful than you realize! 

Some of the best foods to keep your ticker healthy are widely available, but most people don’t eat enough of them. Keep reading to discover what and how you can add foods to your 1200 calorie meal plan to boost heart health. 

Fiber-Fueled Eating 

Protein, fat, and carbohydrates have gotten plenty of attention in diet plans over the years, but all of this focus on macronutrients rarely mentions fiber. A type of indigestible carbohydrate, fiber is an incredibly important nutrient for your heart. In fact, people who eat the highest amounts of dietary fiber can decrease their risk of coronary heart disease and stroke by 7% to 24% compared to those consuming low amounts. 

Soluble fiber, in particular, may help reduce blood levels of total and LDL cholesterol by decreasing the absorption of cholesterol. Other possible mechanisms through which fiber may improve heart health include lowering blood pressure and combatting inflammation in the body. 

Some of the best sources of soluble fiber include oats, barley, apples, beans, and milled flaxseed. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and other plant foods are all sources of fiber and contain a mix of soluble and insoluble. 

To boost your fiber intake and keep your heart healthy, try some of these ideas: 

  • Steel cut oatmeal (unsweetened), milled flaxseed, and berries with chicken breakfast sausage on the side 

  • Lentil soup, carrot sticks, apple slices, and hummus 

  • Salmon, roasted broccoli, mushroom barley pilaf 

Eat the Rainbow 

The popular nutrition tip to “eat the rainbow” is especially pertinent to eating for heart health. However, the standard American diet’s “rainbow” of colors from artificial dyes and brightly colored snack food packaging isn’t the array of colors that will convey benefits. 

Instead, eating a rainbow of colorful plant foods that have no or minimal processing is the way to go. Studies suggest that pigments found in fruits and vegetables, such as orange, yellow, red, white, purple/blue, and green, are associated with improvements in lipid profile, inflammation, and other risk factors for heart disease. 

Here are some ways to “eat the rainbow” in a day’s worth of meals: 

  • Savory egg bowl with roasted or steamed sweet potatoes, scrambled eggs, avocado, and pickled purple cabbage 

  • Salad with romaine and spinach, kidney beans, salsa, yellow bell pepper and onion, sunflower seeds, and olive oil dressing 

  • Baked chicken with tropical fruit salsa, brown rice, and roasted carrots and green beans 

Note from Healthy For Life Meals: Eating for heart health may sound easy, but busy lifestyles make it hard to put into practice. Fortunately, we can help! Get started with one of our plans and start enjoying fiber-rich, colorful meals ASAP.  Get $10 off your first order with discount code: TryHFLM.

 

 

Stef Keegan