In honor of Valentine’s Day, let’s take a moment to appreciate our hard-working hearts! To keep your ticker in top shape, work these heart-healthy foods into your diet.
Whole Grains—If you haven’t jumped on the bandwagon already, do it. Make half your grains whole by shooting for three servings per day.
o Breakfast is a great place to start: dish up some oatmeal instead of popping a toaster strudel
Salmon—The omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce inflammation.
o Grill up a fillet and serve with veggies and brown rice or on a bed of salad.
Black Beans—These legumes are packed with fiber, protein, B-vitamins, magnesium, and omega-3s
o Black beans are great in tons of things, from soup to salad to rice dishes. You can even use black bean purée in brownies in place of eggs and flour (promise you can’t taste the beans)!
Spinach—This leafy green is rich in Lutein, B-vitamins, folate, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and fiber.
o Swap out boring old iceberg lettuce for spinach in sandwiches and salads. Stir a handful into soups, throw into the blender with frozen fruit for a refreshing green smoothie. It’s also great steamed or sautéed with a little heart-healthy olive oil and garlic!
Red Wine—the benefits of catechins and reservatrol (flavonoids) are worth toasting to. A 5-ounce glass a day for women may increase your HDL “good” cholesterol. Cheers to that!
Five Foods for Heart Health
In honor of Valentine’s Day, let’s take a moment to appreciate our hard-working hearts! To keep your ticker in top shape, work these heart-healthy foods into your diet.
o Breakfast is a great place to start: dish up some oatmeal instead of popping a toaster strudel
o Grill up a fillet
and serve with veggies and brown rice or on a bed of salad.
o Black beans are great in tons of things, from soup to salad to rice dishes. You can even use black bean purée in brownies in place of eggs and flour (promise you can’t taste the beans)!
o Swap out boring old iceberg lettuce for spinach in sandwiches and salads. Stir a handful into soups, throw into the blender with frozen fruit for a refreshing green smoothie. It’s also great steamed or sautéed with a little heart-healthy olive oil and garlic!