Planning Heart Healthy Meals For A Healthy Life (via Cobweb/3.1 Planetlab2.netlab.uky.edu)
Planning Heart Healthy Meals for a Healthy Life
By Harriet Hodgson
Consumers used to plan their meals around meat. No more. Health-conscious consumers are putting produce first and rounding out meals with whole grains, low-fat dairy, and protein. These tips will help you plan heart healthy meals.
1. Push produce. The US Government recommends at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Fruits and vegetables contain fiber, water, and fill you up. “Fiber and water add volume without adding calories,” according to “Mayo Clinic on Healthy Weight.”
2. Go seasonal. Seasonal produce has more flavor than out-of-season produce. Watch
3. Measure protein. One serving of protein is the size of a deck of cards. Eat more than this and you have consumed two or three servings at once.
4. Cut the fat. Buy lean cuts of meat. “Watching your fat intake can help prevent you from gaining weight and may thus be a cancer-fighting strategy,” according to Rachel Johnson, PhD, MPH, RD. Johnson cites more eating tips in her “Eating Well” article, “Eat to Beat the Odds.”
5. Go low. Whole milk products contain lots of saturated fat, which isn’t good for your heart. Low-fat dairy products — skim milk, 1% skim, low-fat yogurt, frozen yogurt — provide the calcium you need minus the fat.
6. Eat more fish. Some doctors are telling patients to eat fish twice a week. “‘Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight for Every Body” recommends fish with omega-3 fatty acids, including salmon, mackerel, herring, bass, swordfish, tuna fish, and trout. Fish should be baked, broiled or grilled, not fried.
7. Read all labels. For heart health you should read every word on every label. Check the serving size first and then the percentages.
8. Go for grains. Americans are not getting enough whole grains, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). “Foods labeled with the words ‘multi-grain,’ ’stone-ground,’ ‘100% wheat,’ ‘cracked wheat’, ’seven grain,’ or ‘bran’ are usually not whole-grain products,” says the USDA. Your heart healthy choices: brown rice, wild rice, bulgur, barley, whole grain corn.
9. Control carbs. The American Heart Association says pre-diabetic or diabetic consumers should monitor their carbohydrate intake. “Knowing how many carbohydrates is in one portion of what you’re eating is the key to carb control,” notes the association.
10. Watch the sugar. Sugar calories add up fast and have little nutritional value. Unsweetened and low sugar products are better for your health. Avoid sugar-free soda pop because it wears away tooth enamel over time. Keep in mind that sugar-free cookies are often high in fat.
11. Be salt smart. Salty foods can raise your blood pressure. Too much salt can stiffen artery walls and even cause heart damage, according to the September/October 2007 of “Eating Well.” The US Government recommends 2,300 milligrams of salt a day — just one teaspoon.
12. Mix and match. The October issue of “Everyday Food” contains a chart for mixing and matching main dishes with side dishes. Create your own heart healthy chart and refer to it when you’re short of time.
Copyright 2007 by Harriet Hodgson
http://www.harriethodgson.com<.cob-web.org:8888/a>
Harriet Hodgson has been a freelance nonfiction writer for 29 years. She is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and the Association for Death Education and Counseling. Her 24th book
Tags: heart health, meal planning, nutrition
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