You can see an 80 percent reduction in your risk of developing heart disease or experiencing a stroke if you follow a heart-healthy diet, according to HelpGuide.org. A heart-healthy diet includes lots of vegetables, fruits and whole grains, while limiting unhealthy fats and animal proteins.
Cereal and Grapefruit
Eating a simple heart-healthy breakfast includes eating a bowl of whole-grain cereal and a half a grapefruit. To increase the protein, sprinkle crushed almonds or walnuts on the cereal.
Use fat-free dairy milk or soy milk for the cereal to reduce your cholesterol and saturated fat intake. Look for cereals that contain at least 5g of fiber per serving. The grapefruit will also provide you with valuable antioxidants and fiber. Eating a diet that is rich in fiber is an important part of eating for a healthy heart.
Vegetarian Fajitas
Vegetarian fajitas make a heart-healthy lunch or dinner. Cook some brown rice to go with the fajitas. Saute a mix of vegetables with a small amount of olive oil. Suitable vegetables include tomatoes, squash, broccoli, onions, green peppers, orange peppers, yellow peppers and carrots. Using olive oil will provide rich amounts of monounsaturated fat, which is important for keeping your heart healthy. Use a small amount of taco seasoning or fajita seasoning to flavor the vegetables.
While you are sauteing the vegetables, warm up some vegetarian refried black beans. Use beans that contain no trans fats. Even small amounts of trans fats can contribute to an increased risk of heart disease.
Serve the vegetables, refried beans and rice on a plate with a couple of whole-grain tortillas. This meal with contain high amounts of fiber from the combination of beans, vegetables and whole grains; fiber plays an important role in keeping your blood cholesterol levels low. Also, vegetable and whole-grain products contain other vitamins and nutrients that help regulate your blood pressure and keep your heart healthy overall, notes MayoClinic.com.
Fresh Green Salad
Make a fresh green heart-healthy salad. Combine kale leaves with spinach and mustard leaves in a large salad bowl to provide a significant amount of fiber. Mix in 1/2 cup of dried fruit, such as cranberries or raisins. Top the salad with slivered almonds instead of croutons. This will increase the unsaturated fats in your salad, which are good for your heart.
To increase the protein in the salad, place a serving of grilled salmon or soy-based grilled cutlet on top of the salad. If you use salmon, you will increase the omega-3 fatty acids content of your meal, which help keep cholesterol levels in check. Using soy-based meat substitutes will decrease your saturated fat and cholesterol consumption.
Top the salad with a low-calorie dressing, such as raspberry vinaigrette. Serve the salad with a slice of whole-grain bread or fruit.
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