Balance and Planning Are Key to a Heart-Healthy Diet

Nearly one in three women have heart disease, and it is the leading cause of death among women over 50. These sobering facts suggest that adopting a heart-healthy diet isn’t just a smart lifestyle choice for those who have heart disease—it’s a proactive nutritional approach that can benefit all women.

The good news is that heart-healthy meals don’t have to be bland or boring. In this article, we provide practical tips and strategies to help you make heart-healthy choices without sacrificing flavor. With insights from Gabrielle Gambino, MS, RD, CDN, CNSC, a senior clinical dietitian with NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center’s Advanced Heart Failure Service, we’ll explore how to prepare delicious meals at home, dine out wisely, and plan your menus to support a healthy heart.

What Does a Heart-Healthy Meal Look Like?

A heart-healthy meal is rich in healthy fats, fiber, and lean proteins. Here’s how you can incorporate these components into your daily diet:

• Healthy fats: Use olive oil, canola oil, or flaxseed oil for cooking and dressings.

• High fiber: Include whole-grain breads, brown rice, and sweet potatoes.

• Lean proteins: Opt for chicken breast, tuna, salmon, or tofu.

Enhance the flavor of your meals with herbs and spices such as cayenne pepper for vegetable-based dishes, onion powder or garlic for egg-based recipes, and oregano or rosemary for chicken dishes. These not only add zest to your dishes, but also eliminate the need for excessive salt. “Herbs and spices are fantastic alternatives to salt, allowing you to enjoy flavorful meals while keeping your heart healthy,” says Gambino.

Meal Planning and Preparation

Planning and prepping meals in advance can help to maintain a heart-healthy diet:

• Weekly meal planning: Plan lunches for the week to avoid sodium-packed processed foods at home or high-fat convenience foods away from home.

• Batch cooking: Cook in bulk, and freeze individual portions. This ensures that there is always a heart-healthy entrée ready to be defrosted.

“Batch cooking on Sundays can set you up for a successful week. Prepping proteins, vegetables, and grains in advance makes it easy to assemble healthy meals quickly,” says Gambino.

Dining Out and Celebrations

Even when dining out or celebrating, manage portions and choose wisely.

• Portion control: Share entrees with a friend, or save half for later.

• Healthier sides: Opt for a side salad or steamed vegetables.

• Sauces on the side: Request sauces on the side to control sodium intake.

• Read the menu in advance: Peruse the menu online and decide what you’ll order before leaving the house.

“Dining out doesn’t have to derail your heart-healthy diet,” says Gambino. “It’s all about balance and making smart choices, like choosing fiber-rich sides and limiting high-sodium condiments.”

Heart-Healthy Recipe Modifications

Include family-friendly comfort foods in your plan for days when a lean protein and vegetable seem unappetizing. For instance, with some simple modifications you can turn pasta with tomato sauce and meatballs into a heart-friendly meal:

• Homemade sauce: Use homemade, rather than jarred, tomato sauce to control the sodium level (see recipe above).

• Pasta options: Whole-wheat pasta and chickpea pasta are flavorful and heart healthy.

• Lean meat alternatives: For meatballs, use ground turkey instead of beef.

• Bake instead of frying: Bake meatballs in the oven or cook them in an air fryer instead of frying them in oil, to reduce fat content.

• Vegetable additions: Add bell peppers, onions, and other vegetables to your sauce for extra antioxidants and fiber.

• Cheese alternatives: Skip cheese, use low-sodium cheese, or try nutritional yeast, which is a vegan substitute with low sodium and probiotic benefits. Sprinkle it on foods for an added flavor similar to parmesan cheese.

Mindful Dietary Choices

Adopting a heart-healthy diet is a journey that involves making mindful choices both at home and when dining out. By incorporating healthy fats, fiber, lean proteins, and flavorful herbs into your meals, you can enjoy delicious and nutritious food. Meal planning and batch cooking can further support your goals by ensuring you have healthy options readily available throughout the week.

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