If you have or are at risk for heart problems, losing weight is your best health safeguard. While you implement an exercise program, fuel your body with nutritious foods that promote weight loss and support cardiovascular function. Two kinds of fiber satisfy your hunger and balance your blood cholesterol. Iron, protein and B vitamins improve your blood count, while calcium, potassium and additional nutrients help to regulate your heartbeat and other metabolic processes. You can shed pounds with a heart-healthy diet.
Beverages
You can make a big calorie reduction in your diet by switching to water for most of your beverage servings when trying to lose weight. The USDA reminds you that regular sweetened sodas have no nutritional value other than calories from sugar, so choose zero-calorie, artificially sweetened ones instead for an occasional treat. Better yet, get your three servings of daily dairy nutrition from milk, for its calcium, potassium, protein and vitamins. Choose fat-free milk to protect your arteries and to slash calorie counts.
Protein Sources
Foods with large protein ratios also make a big impact on your diet, as many contain high saturated fat and cholesterol that clog arteries, and high calories that discourage weight loss. For less fat and zero cholesterol, eat legumes such as black beans, lentils and split peas in place of meats and fish. For lower fat and calories than meats, eat less oily fish such as perch, haddock, trout and orange roughy. These protein foods also contain B vitamins to help build red blood cells. The American Heart Association also recommends lean eye of round beef and chicken or turkey eaten without the skin.
Grain Foods
Whole grains contribute strong fiber and protein, iron and B vitamins to satisfy the major criteria in a heart-healthy diet. With little fat and no cholesterol, brown rice, oatmeal, whole-wheat bread and barley make satisfying grain dishes. Many ready-to-eat cereals, especially wheat and oat bran flakes, offer 100 percent daily values of iron, B vitamins and other nutrients within low calorie counts.
Fruits and Vegetables
While other foods make greater calorie impacts on your weight-loss diet, fruits and vegetables have greater nutrient density, or more fiber, vitamins and minerals and less fat and calories. The American Heart Association recommends eating a wide variety of colors and types of fruits and veggies for broad nutrition. Kiwis, berries, bananas, melons, carrots, tomatoes and leafy greens display the spectrum of color and essential nutrients available. Cooked spinach, in particular, delivers all of the heart-healthy fiber, iron, calcium, potassium, B vitamins and other beneficial dietary elements.
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