If you have heart disease, it can be confusing to know what you should and shouldn't eat. You may even think that you have to give up all your favorite foods, only to be left with tasteless alternatives. But, there are some great-tasting heart healthy choices, including almond milk.
Heart Disease Diet
The American Heart Association recommends a low fat, low cholesterol diet for heart disease prevention and treatment. As reported on mayoclinic.com, you should consume less than 7 percent of your daily calories from saturated fat, less than 1 percent from trans fat, and less than 200 mg of cholesterol per day if you have heart disease or are at high risk. The AHA also recommends choosing low fat protein sources, increasing fruits, vegetables and whole grains, but limiting sodium.
Heart Benefits of Nuts
As reported on mayoclinic.com, nuts are an excellent addition to any heart-healthy meal plan. Nuts, including almonds, are full of healthy unsaturated fats and fiber that lower your "bad" cholesterol level. In addition, nuts like almonds contain vitamin E, which has been shown to stop plaque development in your arteries. In fact, the FDA, as reported by mayoclinic.com, recommends consuming 1.5 oz. of nuts daily along with a heart healthy diet to help reduce overall heart disease risk. Almond milk is one way to reach the 1.5 oz. goal.
Almond Milk
Almond milk is a great alternative to high-fat cow's milk if you have heart disease. It is low in calories and has no saturated fat or cholesterol. And, the unsaturated fats found in almond milk can help in heart disease prevention and treatment. Almond milk fits in the AHA heart healthy guidelines and can be enjoyed by anyone with heart disease. You can purchase almond milk at your local grocery store. Be mindful of the sugar content, as many manufacturers add sugar to enhance flavor -- but this adds calories.
Almond Milk Recipe
You can make your own almond milk at home. Dr. Ben Kim recommends soaking 1 to 1.5 cups of raw almonds in water for six hours. Drain the soaked almonds and blend them with 4 cups of fresh water until you get a milk-like consistency. You can blend the milk with dates to add a sweet flavor. Once blended, strain the almond granules. Eight ounces of almond milk contains about 70 calories, 2 g of protein, and 2.5 g of fat. Almond milk will stay fresh four to five days when refrigerated in an air-tight container.
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