The Best Heart Healthy Breakfast Foods

The traditional American breakfast consisting of whole eggs, bacon or sausage and white toast does not support a heart-healthy diet. Choosing nutritious foods at breakfast sets you up to make healthy choices later in the day. Heart-healthy breakfasts feature fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, nuts and whole grains while keeping saturated fat, sodium and added sugars to a minimum.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal makes a quick and satisfying breakfast. Instead of choosing flavored instant varieties that often contain added sugars, use plain, old-fashioned oats and add raisins or other dried fruit, skim milk and a sprinkling of nuts. Oatmeal counts as a whole grain; the American Heart Association recommends you consume at least 3 oz. of whole grains daily. Oatmeal is also a source of soluble fiber, which can help lower your cholesterol, making you less vulnerable to heart disease. Skim milk contains no saturated fat, while adding nuts helps you meet the recommended minimum of four servings of nuts per week.

Breakfast Tacos

Make breakfast tacos by scrambling four egg whites and putting them in two corn tortillas with 1/2 cup of canned black beans, sliced avocado and salsa. The egg whites are a fat-free source of protein and the corn tortillas are a whole grain. The black beans count as a legume, of which the American Heart Association recommends you consume four servings weekly. The avocado provides fiber, vitamins and minerals as well as healthy, unsaturated fats. A 1/2-cup serving of salsa counts as one of the five 1/2-cup servings of fruits and vegetables you should consume daily.

Eggs, Sausage and Toast

Makeover a traditional breakfast consisting of scrambled eggs with butter, processed sausage and white toast. Have one egg scrambled with two egg whites to keep cholesterol intake in check. Create a homemade, low-fat sausage by mixing together raw lean ground turkey with Italian spices, fennel seeds, chopped garlic and a dash of salt. Form into patties and cook in a frying pan spritzed with non-stick cooking spray until cooked through. Serve with whole grain toast and a fruit salad made with fresh pineapple, strawberries and orange slices.

Smoothies

Fruit smoothies help you incorporate some of the recommended 4.5 cups of fruits you need daily for heart health. If you mix the fruit with fresh ingredients, such as skim milk, plain nonfat yogurt and 100 percent juice, your smoothie will be low in saturated fat and added sugar. Try blending a frozen banana, fresh strawberry slices, plain yogurt and orange juice. Other options include blueberries, bananas, soy milk and lemon juice, or pineapples, mangos, bananas and almond milk. Add 1 tbsp. of flaxseed meal to any of these combinations to obtain omega-3 fatty acids, which also help support heart health.