The foods you eat affect much more than just your feeling of hunger. The foods you choose to consume also affect the overall healthy of your body, especially your heart. Foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol can cause arterial plaque build up, leading to higher risks of heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Choosing healthy foods, even when you are on a tight budget, can help prevent this from occurring.
Step 1
Buy fresh food when it is in season. Fruits and vegetables (which are high in soluble fiber) and seafoods, such as salmon, trout or herring (which are high in heart healthy fats), are all healthy options for your diet. However, these items can be expensive. Luckily, most fruits, vegetables and seafood have particular times of the year (seasons) where they are in abundance. To make up for the excess product, your local grocery store will often lower the prices to sell the product faster, providing a cheap option for obtaining heart healthy fresh foods.
Step 2
Use frozen or canned vegetables and fruits. When fresh fruits and vegetables are not in season, canned fruits and vegetables are just as healthy of an option. When buying canned goods, be sure that the fruit is canned in water, not syrup, and that vegetables are canned with no salt added.
Step 3
Watch the advertisements for sales, and stock up on heart healthy foods that freeze well. When you see good deals in the paper or in your store, consider buying in bulk, and freezing the excess. Heart healthy foods, such as whole grain breads, vegetables, fruits, low-fat or reduced-fat cheeses, skinless chicken breasts, and low-fat cuts of meat (such as "round" or "loin" cuts), all freeze well. Be sure to label clearly on each food container when you bought and froze the item.
Step 4
Make your own salad dressings. Creamy salad dressings, such as ranch, Caesar and Thousand Island, can quickly turn a healthy salad into a bowl of excess calories. Instead, opt for making your own salad dressings by combing one part vinegar to three parts heart healthy olive oil. Add in garlic, herbs, salt and pepper to make the flavor your own.
Step 5
Look for the American Heart Association (AHA) heart check mark when buying prepackaged foods. When on a tight budget, many families turn to prepackaged foods to save money. The AHA has simplified your shopping experience by labeling many heart healthy foods with their check of approval, which consists of a red heart with a white check mark through the middle. These items have been approved by the AHA as foods, that when eaten in moderation, can benefit the heart.
Member Comments