So far this year, how are your new year’s resolutions holding up? Were you planning to eat better, dine out less, save money, or learn new things in the kitchen? If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, you’ve come to the right place.
We know exercise is great for heart health, but you can treat your ticker even better by making easy and tasty modifications to your food. Try to reduce the number of meals you eat at restaurants, especially fast food—they often have high salt and fat content. Cooking at home makes it easier to modify your meals to meet your heart health goals and needs. Below are some modifications you can make to improve your meals for your heart:
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Substitute lean meats like ground turkey for ground beef.
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Avoid adding salt and use other spices to add flavor to your meals.
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Try to use fresh ingredients as much as possible.
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When sautéing or stir-frying, use a little bit of broth or stock to cook with instead of butter or oil.
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If the recipe calls for a small amount of oil, use peanut oil instead of vegetable oil—it’s full of flavor and smells great.
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Substitute plain yogurt for mayonnaise whenever possible.
Creating a heart-healthy meal can be easier and tastier than you think. Ready to get started?
Give these recipes a try. And, while you're there, take time to look around our How Are You? site for inspirational ways to take care of yourself, health tips, and opportunities to connect with your community.
Amber Gard, MS, RD, LD, director of Food and Nutrition Services at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center says, “It may seem like more work, but it really isn’t. Cooking heart healthy is fun and can be even more tasty than other ways of cooking and preparing meals. Your family will thank you and you will have more energy and interest in getting out there and connecting with friends and loved ones!”