Shop Right for a Healthy Heart

February is American Hearth Month. While heart disease is the leading cause of death among men and women in the United States, it can be largely preventable through a healthy lifestyle including eating right and exercising often. There are certain guidelines we need to follow when shopping for a healthy heart like increasing fresh fruits and vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids and fiber, while limiting things like sodium, cholesterol, saturated fat, and trans fat.

Creating a shopping list ahead of time prepares you to make healthier decisions for you and your family when it comes to heart health. Here are some essential guidelines to follow when creating your Heart Healthy Shopping List.

Beverages: Adequate hydration is the foundation of a healthy diet. Aim to get the majority of your liquids from water, followed by low-fat or fat-free milk, or 100% fruit juice. Purchase a reusable water bottle and refill with filtered water - available in most places - so you can have water on the go, remain hydrated, and save money.

Produce: Get a variety of colors in your diet through fruits and vegetables. Each color provides different vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that your body uses to protect against heart disease. For example, red produce, like red peppers, red apples, tomatoes, and watermelon, are rich in lycopene, beta-cartoene, and anthocyanins which all help to promote heart health.  Aim to get a different color in your diet every day!

Whole Grains: Increase your intake of both soluble and insoluble fiber to help promote heart health.  Specifically, soluble fiber helps to bind off circulating cholesterol in the bloodstream. Start the day with old fashioned oats or throw some beans on your salad or in your soup. Choose whole grains by reading the label. Look for words like 100% whole wheat, oats/oatmeal, rye, barley, brown rice, quinoa, bulgur, and more. Aim to make at least half of your grains throughout the day whole grains to increase your fiber intake.

Lean Proteins: Choose lean meats by looking for the words “loin” or “round” in the cut of meat, choose skinless poultry, choose fish and seafood, and beans, peas, and legumes. Aim to grill, bake, or broil meat, poultry, and fish. Limit processed deli meats that are high in saturated fat and sodium. Always opt for the lower sodium options at the deli counter.

Fish and Omega-3s: Aim to consume about 2 servings of an oily fish such as salmon, tuna, trout, or herring per week to get your source of omega-3 fatty acids to help promote heart health. Prepare fish by grilling, broiling, or baking instead of frying. Research shows that these heart healthy fatty acids can help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. Include oily fish such as salmon, herring, or trout at least twice per week.

Other Sources of Omega-3s: Walnuts, chia seeds and flaxseed are also great sources of omega-3s. Not only do these foods have anti-inflammatory benefits, but they are delicious too!

Nuts: Most nuts and nut butters contain a bonus of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats – the kind that help balance out the good and bad cholesterol floating around in your blood. The stand-outs in the nut category for your heart health are pistachios, walnuts and almonds. Add them to salads, yogurt, oatmeal, cereal, or as a standalone snack!

Avoid Trans Fats: Trans fats are considered harmful because they increase risks for heart disease by raising both bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and lowering good cholesterol (HDL). These sneaky fats hide out under the ingredient known as “partially hydrogenated oils,” so check that ingredient list. The  Nutrition Facts may declare zero trans fats if the amount is under ½ gram.

Limit Sodium: Americans consume nearly double the recommended amount of sodium per day. Reduce sodium in your diet by consuming more meals at home, limiting processed foods, adding more herbs and spices to your dishes, and rinsing canned vegetables under cold water before preparing. Aim for 2300 mg of sodium per day or less. For those with risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or kidney disease; aim for less than 1500 mg of sodium per day. Look for labels that say “No Salt Added” or “Low Sodium” which means it has 140 mg sodium or less per serving.

Herbs, Spices, and Other Flavoring Agents: Be creative and use a variety of herbs and spices to your dish for a burst of flavor without adding salt. Try cumin, red pepper, paprika, garlic powder, tarragon, rosemary, and sage, just to name a few. Garlic and onions are also important for heart health as they contain compounds that can help reduce cholesterol levels while also flavoring up your plate!

Elisabeth D’Alto, RD, LDN is an in-store nutritionist at the Eldersburg MARTIN’S Food Markets located at 1320 Londontown Boulevard. For more Healthy Ideas, visit www.martinsfoods.com/healthyideas.