Eat a Heart-healthy Diet
Most people agree there's nothing like a home-cooked meal. Preparing food at home can be fun, relaxing, economical, and most importantly, healthier than restaurant meals. When you cook in your own kitchen, you have greater control over how the food is prepared, as well as over the fat content, total calories, and nutrition level.
Here are some examples of ways to eat healthy:
- Gather recipes and cookbooks that focus on keeping your heart in good health
- Choose "choice" or "select" cuts of beef, and remove excess fat
- Choose leaner, light meat like chicken breasts; avoid dark meat such as legs and thighs, which have more fat; and always remove the skin before cooking
- For egg dishes, substitute two egg whites for each egg yolk
- Choose low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, and cheese
- Choose reduced-fat, low-fat, light, or no-fat salad dressings
- Reduce your salt intake
When cooking at home, it may help to consider:
Heart-healthy Foods
Food Substitutions for Healthier Eating
Heart-healthy Foods
Experts in health and nutrition have developed a list of the top foods for maintaining a healthy heart. So when planning your meals, look to use these recommended foods frequently. They are offered here by WebMD with menu ideas on how to enjoy them.
Salmon
Grill salmon, prepare with a low-fat rub or marinade.
Flaxseed (ground)
Baked goods, yogurt, and cereal are a few of the many foods that mask the flavor of ground flaxseed.
Oatmeal
Try adding fresh berries to your oatmeal.
Black or kidney beans
Mix beans in with soups and salads.
Red wine
To try and increase "good" HDL cholesterol, have a glass of red wine.
Tuna
Make a salad of greens, fresh fruit, and canned tuna, topped with a dash of low-fat dressing.
Tofu
Grill or stir-fry tofu slices that have been marinated for several hours.
Brown rice
Combine cooked brown rice with chopped vegetables for a quick and healthful lunch.
Soy milk
Pour soy milk over oatmeal or whole-grain cereal.
Spinach
Replace lettuce with spinach in salads and sandwiches.
Sweet potato
Replace baked potato with a sweet potato for a dash of color and nutrition.
Red bell peppers
Add flavorful red peppers to wraps, salads, and sandwiches.
Asparagus
Add olive oil and lemon to grilled or steamed asparagus.
Tomatoes
Add fresh sliced tomatoes to sandwiches, salad, and pasta dishes.
Acorn squash
Serve baked squash topped with pine nuts and raisins.
Herbal tea
Enjoy a soothing cup of tea instead of coffee in the morning.
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Food Substitutions for Healthier Eating
The food substitution chart below provides suggestions from the American Heart Association. It provides some handy ingredient substitutions that can replace ingredients that are high in fat and calories.
| When a recipe calls for |
Try this healthier substitute |
| Whole milk (1 cup) |
1 cup fat-free or low-fat milk, plus one tablespoon of liquid vegetable oil |
| Heavy cream (1 cup) |
1 cup evaporated skim milk or 1/2 cup low-fat yogurt and 1/2 cup plain, low-fat, unsalted cottage cheese |
| Cream cheese |
4 tablespoons soft margarine blended with 1 cup dry, unsalted low-fat cottage cheese; add a small amount of fat-free milk, if needed |
| Egg |
2 egg whites, or choose a commercially made, cholesterol-free egg substitute (1/4 cup) |
| Butter (1 tablespoon) |
1 tablespoon soft margarine (low in saturated fat and 0 grams trans fat) or 3/4 tablespoon liquid vegetable oil |
| Sour cream |
Low-fat, unsalted cottage cheese plus low-fat or fat-free yogurt; or just use fat-free sour cream, which is also available |
| Unsweetened baking chocolate (1 ounce) |
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder or carob powder plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or soft margarine; since carob is sweeter than cocoa, reduce the sugar in the recipe by 25% |
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