Alyssa Justice, RDN
Jacy Beckenhauer, RD
Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death in the United States. The wonderful thing to note is that, through diet and lifestyle changes, you can reduce your risk of heart disease. Today, we want to talk with you about practical ways you can improve your heart health through diet!
How can I reduce my risk of heart disease through diet?
Alyssa Justice, RDN
One way you can reduce the risk of heart disease through diet is by choosing to consume heart healthy fats! The types of fats we consume can either raise our LDL cholesterol levels or lower them. Consuming fats that raise LDL cholesterol, or bad cholesterol, over time, can be the cause of heart disease. These types of fats include trans fats and saturated fats. Trans fats should be avoided and include foods such as doughnuts, hydrogenated vegetable oil, baked goods like cake, pie crusts, biscuits, frozen pizza, cookies, crackers, and margarine. Saturated fats should be limited in our diet and include foods such as beef, lamb, pork, poultry with skin, tallow (beef fat), lard, butter, cheese, ice cream, coconut, full fat dairy, palm oil, some baked and fried foods. Don’t forget to check your nutrition labels to see if the food you’re consuming has any trans fat or saturated fat in it.
Jacy Beckenhauer, RD
High sodium intake is closely linked to high blood pressure. When there is too much sodium in the bloodstream, the sodium pulls more fluid into the blood vessels, which increases blood pressure. This, in turn, puts more stress on the heart. While sodium is an essential mineral for overall health, Americans tend to consume it in excess. You can reduce your sodium consumption through reading food labels carefully, limiting processed foods, and using herbs and spices instead of salt for flavor.
Increasing your fiber intake is another way to reduce your risk of heart disease through diet. There are two different types of fiber- insoluble and soluble. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stool, which keeps your GI tract moving. Insoluble fiber can be found in non-starchy vegetables and wheat bran. Soluble turns into a gel during digestion, which helps slow down digestion. Cholesterol is lowered through consuming soluble fiber, which can be found in nuts, beans, oats, and fruit like our Homegrown Organic Farms berries, kiwis, and citrus. When soluble fiber slows down the digestion of foods, it traps cholesterol and prevents it from being absorbed. Slowing down digestion is also important in preventing spikes in blood sugar. Most Americans don’t consume enough fiber, so be sure to find ways to incorporate foods that contain soluble fibers into your diet.
Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death in the United States. The wonderful thing to note is that, through diet and lifestyle changes, you can reduce your risk of heart disease. Today, we want to talk with you about practical ways you can improve your heart health through diet!
What are some practical swaps to make in order to have a more heart healthy diet?
Alyssa Justice, RDN
Fish: Swap fried chicken, chicken with skin, or beef with fish 2-3 times per week.
Fruit: 1-2 cups of fruit per day is the general recommendation; try adding blueberries to your morning smoothies, kiwis to your lunch time salad, or even citrus to flavor your salmon for dinner.
Olive oil: Top your salads with olive oil based homemade dressings instead of cream based dressings, this will lower the saturated fat content as well as the sodium.
Nuts: A wonderful substitute for fried chips during snack time.
Avocados: Top your morning toast with avocado instead of butter, you’ll feel more full and satisfied, as well!
What are the biggest dietary mistakes people make when it comes to heart health?
Jacy Beckenhauer, RD
The biggest mistake made when trying to consume a heart healthy diet is not understanding that some fats are healthy fats, which are essential for the body to function properly. Instead of choosing to consume healthy fats, some may try to eliminate all fat, which leaves them lacking essential nutrients and not feeling full and satisfied from the meals they are consuming.
Alyssa Justice, RDN
Like Jacy said, people tend to have an “elimination” mindset when it comes to making healthier choices for themselves. Try having an “addition” mindset and ask yourself, what can I add to my diet today to benefit my heart health? Don’t forget all the healthy swaps mentioned above and start by making it a goal to add in at least one of these healthy foods per day and increasing over time. If you need help making these dietary changes, our Dietitians at Wel work with clients to implement a healthier lifestyle. Work with one of us, today!
What are some heart-healthy recipes I can try at home?
Try this Blueberry Chia Pudding! A quick and heart healthy breakfast that can prepped for your week ahead of time! We chose blueberries, but the fruit compote can be made with any of your favorite seasonal fruits!
We hope that you found this conversation on heart health to be educational and gave practical ways to incorporate something new into your routine. In case you missed our series last year, head over to the rest of our blog posts. Check out our Recipes page to try some heart healthy recipes featuring Homegrown Organic Farms fresh fruit. Stay in the know with all the organic happenings over on Instagram and give the team at Wel a follow for more wellness and nutrition tips. If you have questions to ask a nutritionist, leave a comment below!
