It may at times be hard to lead a heart-healthy lifestyle because many do not know where to begin. Senior Helpers would like to provide you with a few nutritious options that promote heart heath! Here are six simple fat fighting food swaps you can apply to your daily routine.
1. Nuts over chips or croutons
Sometimes we crave for a salty snacks, so we reach in the pantry and grab our favorite bag of chips. Chips can cause plaque buildup in your arteries and spike your blood sugar. Instead of snacking on chips, try grabbing a handful of nuts. People who regularly eat nuts are less likely to develop cardiovascular disease or coronary heart disease.
2. Tea or coffee over soda
Make the smart decision to substitute soda for tea or coffee. Tea or coffee can still give you a caffeine boost without all the artificial sweeteners and calories. Green tea is great way to fuel your body with antioxidants and to get a natural energy boost. Do you love your tea a bit sweetened? Try using a sugar substitute to sweeten your tea just how you like it.
3. Ground turkey instead of ground beef
Both ground turkey and ground beef are high in protein, but ground beef has more saturated fat than ground turkey. Studies have shown that regularly eating foods high in fat lead to an increased chance of developing heart disease. No matter what meat you decide is best for you, make sure you are getting lean cuts!
4. Vinegar and lemon juice as salad dressing
Oil and Vinegar is a great replacement for salad dressings which are loaded with calories and fats. The best combination to try is balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Everything is good in moderation. Olive oil has great health benefits such as lowering cholesterol levels. Try adding two tablespoons of olive oil to your next salad and balsamic vinegar!
5. Vegetable oil instead of butter
Look to replace bad fats with healthier fats by choosing healthier vegetable oils when preparing food. You can use cooking oils to grill, sauté, use as a salad dressing, and substitute for butter or margarine in recipes. Great cooking oils include canola, corn, olive, peanut, safflower, soybean, and sunflower.
6. Poultry or fish instead of beef
Poultry and fish are great to have an abundance of in your diet. They have less saturated and trans fats than red meats which is good since those fats can lead to high cholesterol and heart disease. Many fish have Omega-3 fatty acids and those acids lead to a healthy heart. They reduce the risk to heart failure, coronary disease, cardiac arrest, and stroke.
Remember everything is okay in moderation and it is okay to treat yourself to a craving occasionally. Senior Helpers is here to encourage heart healthy activities and fat fighting food swaps!