With so much to do in your day, adding new meals to your routine may sound like
quite a challenge. And if you cook for a family, your options begin to look
even more complicated: either preparing separate meals for you and for them, or
trying to coax them to change their habits, too.
But eating heart healthy doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch.
Understanding what makes certain foods better for your heart health will allow
you to make smart choices, even without sacrificing convenience or flavor. And
the more you and your family get used to making smart food choices, the less
appealing the wrong ones become.
These are the targets the American Heart Association suggests for your daily
routine.
| servings of grain and whole grain products |
at least 6/day (half should be whole grain) |
| grams of fiber |
25 – 30/day |
| servings of fruit and vegetables |
at least 5/day |
| servings of oily fish |
at least 2/week |
| cholesterol |
less than 300 mg/day |
| cholesterol (for those with risk of heart disease) |
less than 200 mg/day |
| saturated and trans fats |
less 10% of total calories |
| salt |
less than 6 grams/day |
Those numbers may look a bit intimidating until you begin to see them as the
foods you eat every day.
Whole Grains and Soluble Fiber
Whole grains are important to your diet for several reasons. They offer a
good source of the carbohydrates your body needs for the energy to keep it
running. Whole grains also offer more nutrition than do their refined
counterparts. And some whole grains have soluble fiber which may actually help
your body to rid itself of cholesterol. So give yourself a crash course in the
benefits of whole grains, soluble fiber and a smart eating plan.
Heart Healthy
Eating >>
Calcium
Like many minerals, your body needs calcium for the functions it performs every
day. But women should pay special attention to their calcium intake. Without a
good supply, your body can’t maintain proper bone density. And that’s an issue
that becomes even more important for women during and after menopause.
Low-fat dairy products are a good source of calcium. But there are other
sources, too.
-
beans (like soy, navy, black and pinto beans or chick peas)
-
nuts (like dry-roasted almonds or hazelnuts)
-
fish (like canned salmon or sardines)
-
green vegetables (including turnip and mustard greens and broccoli)
-
blackstrap molasses is another source of calcium, as well as several other
minerals.
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