12 FAITH REGIONAL Health Services Keep your kitchen heart-healthy How’s your heart? If you have concerns, discuss your heart health with an expert. You can find a physician at frhs.org. Nontropical vegetable oils (like olive, corn or canola). Use these for cooking meals or making salads. Compared to solid fats— like butter, shortening and hard margarine—these vegetable oils are lower in artery-clogging saturated fat. Lean proteins, including fish. If you eat meat, choose leaner, healthier cuts. Every kitchen should have veggie proteins, too, so you can go meatless at least some of the time. For instance, when shopping for proteins, consider choosing: • Chicken, especially skinless chicken breasts. • Beans, peas, lentils or tofu. • Peanut butter. • Salmon—with its omega-3 oils, it may help protect your heart. • Lean cuts of red meats, like round, loin or sirloin. Frozen or canned fruits and vegetables. Sure, fresh produce tastes best. But frozen or canned versions are easy to use, usually cheaper and longer-lasting (that’s less waste!). Best of all, they can be just as nutritious as fresh. Just be sure to buy canned veggies or beans with the least amounts of sodium or salt, canned fruits packed in water or 100% juice, and frozen veggies without sauces. Whole-grain versions of bread, pasta, tortillas and other foods. Don’t be fooled by the word multigrain. Make sure a whole grain is listed as the first ingredient. Fat-free or low-fat dairy products. These versions of milk, yogurt, cottage cheese and sour cream also have less cholesterol and fewer calories than whole milk and other full-fat dairy products. Source: American Heart Association What is one of your best weapons against heart disease? It’s a kitchen stocked with heart-smart foods. That’s because healthy eating is right up there with exercising, watching your weight and not smoking when it comes to lowering your risk for heart problems. And eating foods that are good for your heart is a lot easier when you regularly have them on hand. Meal planning can be helpful with this too. “Meal planning can help you make better food choices,” says Eric Rome, DO, cardiologist at Faith Regional. “When a plan is in place, you’ll be less likely to eat out or make less nutritious foods.” Stock your kitchen with these:
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