Including and incorporating heart-healthy foods into your diet can help your overall cardiovascular well-being and doesn't have to be boring and bland. Here's a list of nutrient-rich foods that are known for being heart-friendly.
Fatty Fish: Salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, and herring are high in omega-3 fatty acids. When selecting fish, try to buy wild-caught instead of farm-raised. Farm-raised usually are not fed their traditional diets, and salmon farm-raised have dye or coloring added to give them that pink color.
Berries: Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries are healthy, delicious, and a great option to add antioxidants to your diet. For berries, organic is the way to go, with one exception: if you can find wild blueberries, they tend to have higher levels of antioxidants. If you are insulin-resistant or diabetic, check out this low glycemic index chart!
Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and sunflower seeds are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and vitamin E. To learn more about nuts' nutritional value and benefits, click this link.
Leafy Greens: Adding leafy greens to your diet is an excellent way to boost fiber and add many vitamins and minerals through spinach, kale, swiss chard, collard greens, and romaine lettuce. Make sure to thoroughly rinse your greens before consuming them. Fill the sink with cold water and add half a cup of white vinegar to it, then agitate gently to remove dirt and pesticides before enjoying.
Legumes: Lentils, chickpeas, black beans, and kidney beans can easily be added to meals to incorporate more fiber into your diet. Legumes are so versatile, depending on how you season them. See a list of the top 24 Legumes and their nutritional value here.
The list goes on, but these are great options to include in your diet and aid your heart health. The less processed a food is, the better it will be for your overall health. So, browse your grocery store's fresh fish and produce sections a little more and skip the pre-packaged meals; your body will thank you. Stay tuned for our anti-inflammatory recipe for February, which incorporates a few of the above ingredients!
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