Creating heart health may be a year ‘round focus, but it can be a fun journey to look forward to. It’s shifting our ideas from deprivation to embracing new, delicious and fun food and lifestyles that can leave us feeling that we just may have been deprived in the past!
As we turn February awareness into a plan that can change our outlook for the entire year, a great place to begin is by looking at the fats in our diet. And no, this doesn’t mean going back to the 80’s and 90’s “fat free” craze! Research has now proven that we DO need small amounts of healthy fats in our diet to protect and maintain health for our heart, cells, nerve tissue and brain, in addition to helping our bodies absorb vital nutrients like vitamins A, D, E and K. What does this mean? Adding delicious options to our meals!
This is what it can look like for you…
- Adding more vegetarian delights…With all the wonderful grains now available, including gluten free options, along with the wonderful ways to prepare them, reducing animal fats has become a delicious option!Reducing the amount of animal fats in our diet doesn’t have to be a difficult change and doesn’t mean you must become a vegetarian or vegan and cut out all meats and dairy. A fun way to make a shift can be by adding a “Meatless Monday” or extending it to two or three meals throughout the week.
- There are so many delicious recipes that it may have you craving more! Please keep an eye out as I’ll be posting more lunch and meal ideas that can help you make this a delicious journey!
- Making fun, fat substitutes…Swapping out animal, saturated, and Tran’s fats for healthier, delicious options. Remember, fat does not make you fat! Just small amounts of healthy fat can make the difference in feeling satisfied after a meal, rather than running for those sweet snacks an hour after eating. , and we do need Check out these substitute favorites…
Avocado – sliced makes a wonderful substitute to mayonnaise or butter on sandwiches, and who can resist homemade guacamole! It’s also great on your turkey or bean burgers, and in salads. Fact: Avocado is a healthy monounsaturated fat rich in fiber, vitamin C, and foliate, and has just a quarter of the calories mayo.
Pesto – Made from basil and olive oil, it is rich in important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. One tablespoon typically provides 45 calories, along with decent doses of vitamins A and C, calcium, and iron. Pesto is delicious as a spread on sandwiches, or a welcome change from traditional sauces on your pasta.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)– A Mediterranean diet staple with heart-healthy benefits is a monounsaturated fatty acid, which is the good fat. Some replacement ideas: add to your favorite vinegar for a salad dressing, or on pasta salad, potato salad, or any other salad dish that typically call for mayo. A word of warning; it is high in calories and as with all fats, we need to keep them at a minimum.
Low Fat Plain Greek Yogurt – Greek yogurt is a favorite for its health benefits and versatility. One tablespoon provides roughly 8 calories, 1.5 grams of protein, and calcium. Try using yogurt as a replacement to mayonnaise in your creamy, homemade salad dressings, or in other salads such as tuna, egg, chicken, or potato.
These are just some examples of how we can make delicious choices in replacing those old favorites. To start just choose one or two, create a plan and a recipe to try, and enjoy those delicious additions!
