The American Heart Association advises people to eat a variety of nutritious foods daily. Specifically, you should take in a minimum of 4.5 cups of produce, at least 3 oz. of whole grains and less than 1,500mg of sodium daily. Weekly, strive to eat at least two, 3.5 oz. servings of oily fish and four servings of nuts, beans and seeds. Limit intake of sugar-sweetened beverages to fewer than 450 calories weekly, cholesterol to 300mg daily, saturated fat to less than 7 percent of daily calories, trans fats to less than 1 percent of daily calories and processed meat to less than two weekly servings. Create daily meal plans that fit these guidelines.
Monday
Start with a bowl of oatmeal, preferably steel cut because it offers extra fiber, with non-fat milk and fresh or frozen blueberries. Oatmeal is listed as one of the 10 healthiest foods for your heart at Health.com. At lunch, have a sandwich made on whole-wheat pita with deli turkey, avocado and tomato. For dinner, broil salmon with a baked sweet potato and steamed broccoli. Enjoy an ounce of mixed, unsalted nuts, non-fat yogurt and fresh fruit for snacks.
Tuesday
Choose a whole-grain cereal with at least 5g of fiber and less than 5g of sugar per serving, suggest Dr. William Sears and registered nurse Martha Sears on their website. Enjoy with non-fat milk and a sliced banana. At lunch, make a mixed green salad with chickpeas, water-packed tuna, cucumbers, bell peppers and olive oil dressing. For dinner, make chicken fajitas by grilling skinless chicken breast and serving with sauteed onions and peppers. Serve on whole-wheat tortillas with guacamole -- which is full of heart healthy fats. Snacks might include an apple, celery with peanut butter and low-sodium whole wheat crackers.
Wednesday
Begin the day with an omelet made with three scrambled egg whites and one egg. Fill with sauteed mushrooms, peppers and tomato and an ounce of part-skim mozzarella. Have a whole-wheat English muffin on the side, with jelly, rather than butter, which is full of saturated fat. For a lunch with friends at a fast-food restaurant, order grilled chicken on a whole-grain bun with a baked potato or side salad. Use low-fat sour cream or just salt and pepper on the potato or a light dressing on the salad. For dinner, make whole-grain spaghetti with low-sodium marinara. Have a vanilla latte -- a sugar-sweetened beverage -- and a banana with a few almonds as snacks.
Thursday
Choose a whole-grain bagel with natural peanut butter for breakfast. At lunch, brown bag a lunch of homemade hummus made by blending canned chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil and a bit of salt with cut up vegetables and whole-wheat crackers. Making your own helps you control the sodium content. Have an orange for dessert. For dinner, roast pork tenderloin and serve alongside a homemade brown rice pilaf made by sauteing garlic and onion and adding the rice and low-sodium chicken broth. Add frozen peas to the cooked rice. Snacks for this day may include raisins and a granola bar with fewer than 10g of sugar.
Friday
Have a smoothie made with a banana, fresh strawberries and soy milk for breakfast. At lunch, visit the salad bar but avoid cheese, marinated salads, olives and salted nuts, all of which add fat and sodium. Go for lean proteins like diced chicken, tofu cubes and egg whites. Choose low-fat or non-fat dressing. For dinner, make your own pizza instead of ordering one that is high in sodium and saturated fat. Use a homemade, whole-wheat crust or use whole-wheat English muffins and top with no-salt added tomato sauce spiked with garlic and Italian seasoning. Add low-fat mozzarella and lots of chopped vegetables like red onion, mushroom, bell peppers and artichoke hearts packed in water.
Weekends
Try not to let your heart-healthy meal commitment fall apart on the weekends. Even if you sleep in, consume a healthy breakfast -- perhaps the oatmeal or egg white omelet from weekday meals. If you find yourself going out for brunch, avoid refined-flour pancakes and processed meats like bacon and sausage. Instead, look for egg white omelets, bran muffins and fresh fruit salad. For dinners out, stick to ordering just an entree, and request fatty sauces or dressings to be served on the side. Look for baked or grilled meats and stay away from fried foods. Feel free to indulge in dessert or a cocktail on occasion, but avoid making it a regular habit.
Member Comments