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NUTRITION KNOW-HOW: Eat well for a healthier heart
Nutrition Know-How by Medical Center Hospital Dietitians Mia Gibson and Deborah McPherson appears Wednesdays.
If you have a medical condition, certain items may need to be reduced or eliminated. Seek the advice of your physician and Registered Dietitian before making any changes in your diet or lifestyle. Follow weekly tips and ideas at twitter.com/dietitiandeb, and email questions to dmcpherson@echd.org or gibson@echd.org.
February is Heart Month, which means we should not only remember those we love on February 14th, but also remember to take care of our heart health! Diet is important but don’t forget exercise, regular visits to your doctor and eliminating tobacco should also be on your list of things to do for a healthier heart! Try these suggestions to help take care of your heart.
- Eat more fruits, vegetables and other foods high in soluble fiber. Try adding more beans, peas, oats, strawberries, and apples to your meal plan.
- Increase foods high in omega 3 fatty acids. American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least 2 times a week for omega 3 fatty acids, which may be helpful to your heart. Supplements should only be taken under a doctor’s supervision.
- Be aware of fat and cholesterol intake. Trans fats are found in hardened oils like shortening and margarine and may increase LDL (bad) cholesterol, lower HDL (good) cholesterol and may make it more difficult for arteries to open up. Saturated fats tend to increase total cholesterol, especially LDL (bad) cholesterol. They may also decrease HDL (good) cholesterol. Limiting portions of animal products will help reduce dietary cholesterol intake.
- Eat some monounsaturated fat daily from sources such as olive oil, almonds and pecans.
- Skip the salt shaker. Try not to add salt to prepared foods. Sodium may lead to fluid retention and affect blood pressure.
Join us for lunch and a DASH diet class at noon Feb. 16 for $10. Reservations are required. Call 640-1887 or 640-6474 to reserve your place!
Nutrition Tip of the Day
Limiting fried foods, especially at restaurants, is a good start to reducing fat intake.
HUMMUS DIP
Makes 8 servings.
- 5 garlic cloves
- 2 cups canned garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved
- 1/3 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
- 6 tablespoons lemon juice (from 2 lemons, freshly squeezed)
- 2 tablespoons water or garbanzo liquid
- Salt to taste
Put peeled garlic cloves in food processor; process until minced. Add remaining ingredients to processor and process until hummus is coarsely pureed. Taste and season with salt as desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature with fresh raw vegetables, crackers, pita bread or use for tortilla wrap filling.
Nutrition information per serving: 120 calories, 11 g carbohydrate, 5.6 g protein, 7 g fat, .8 g saturated fat (52 percent of calories from fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 235 mg sodium.
