Holiday eating can be healthy and good for your heart as long as you have a plan to approach the foods you eat at home, at work and when you are out. Heart-healthy foods include those that are low in saturated fat, rich in unsaturated fats, low in trans fats, low in cholesterol and high in fiber. Enjoy your favorite unhealthy foods at family gatherings and work parties in single, small portions to satisfy cravings without excessively consuming fat-laden hors d'oeuvres, pastries, salads, main courses and desserts.
Step 1
Keep a food journal for every day throughout the holidays that you do not have a party, gathering, event or cookie exchange to attend. Reduce your daily caloric intake by 250 to 500 calories per day for each of these low-temptation days. Divide your remaining calories into five, heart-healthy meals and follow these daily plans. Create small meals using fiber-rich whole grains, avocados, olives and vegetables; the avocados and olives are rich in monounsaturated fats that lower your bad cholesterol, or LDL, and boost your good cholesterol, or HDL. Include 1/4 cup of unsalted walnuts with your favorite fruit; walnuts are packed with omega-3 fats that reduce inflammation on the walls of your heart arteries, reducing plaque buildup.
Step 2
Review the online nutritional information and menus for the restaurants you will be frequenting; healthy choices are typically identified with a symbol. Be sure to order these healthier dishes or select grilled chicken breast or grilled salmon with steamed vegetables instead of a creamy pasta or fried dish, tremendously reducing the amount of saturated fat you consume; saturated fat is most damaging for your heart because it raises your LDL cholesterol to a greater degree compared to the cholesterol or trans fats found in your foods. Choose fatty-fish like salmon or sardines because they are rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Order vegetable sticks with a hummus dip if you must have an appetizer instead of onion rings or fried cheese sticks.
Step 3
Cook and serve heart-healthy dishes if you are hosting the party or bringing a dish. Provide richly-colored, full-flavored, seasonal fruits and vegetables. Serve whole grain bread and pasta instead of food made from refined white flour. Flavor your savory dishes with herb-infused, extra-virgin olive oil instead of butter; olive oil is rich with heart-healthy, monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acids that boost your HDL cholesterol. Bake fruit-based desserts such as an apple or peach crumble; crumbles do not typically have a lard and butter-rich crust, reducing your saturated fat intake from holiday desserts. Slightly decrease the amount of buttery crumble you apply over your fruits by adding chopped walnuts or pecans to your crumble mixture.
Tips and Warnings
- Make herb-infused extra-virgin olive oil with 2 cups of oil, 1/2 cup of fresh, minced garlic, 1/4 tsp. of black pepper, 1 tsp. of salt, 2 tsp. of each dried herb--basil, oregano, parsley and herbs de Provence--and 4 tsp. of dried thyme. Mix all the ingredients in a covered container and store in your pantry for at least one week before using. Use a fork to sprinkle the herbs over your dish for plenty of flavor without saturated fat.
References
- "Exercise Physiology, Energy, Nutrition & Human Performance"; William McArdle, F; 2007
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Eat Like You're in Crete: Teach Your Clients the Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet; Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., R.D.; September/October 2007
- American Heart Association: Frequently Asked Questions About Fish
