Hello there, how’re you all doing? February is here which means we are going to talk about a heart healthy diet. I have to admit that a heart healthy diet is an extremely broad topic to cover in one talk, because it involves several elements (type of dietary fat, sodium, vitamins/minerals). To make it simple, a heart-healthy diet focuses on increasing consumption of fruit and vegetables, and reducing intake of fat and sodium. Have you ever heard about the DASH diet and the Mediterranean diet? Many studies have shown these two eating plans help support heart health. The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet promotes intakes of potassium, calcium, magnesium, and fiber by emphasizing high consumption of fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products (Dennett, 2022). The Mediterranean diet is a plant-based eating pattern, it helps reduce intake of saturated fat. It focuses more on intakes of vegetables, beans, fruits, whole grains, healthy fats (from olives and olive oil), and a variety of fish (Blake, 2021).
A healthy heart diet does not just target individuals with health disease, it actually benefits everyone (with or without cardiovascular risk)!
Come on everyone! It is time to think about the food for your heart!
Here are several recipes I am sharing that fit in a heart healthy eating plan.
African peanut soup: Per Linton (2022), peanuts contain an excellent source of manganese (improving cholesterol); a good source of vitamin E (antioxidant), magnesium, copper, phosphorus, fiber! This peanut soup is so flavorful, filling, and rich. It does give a little kick because I added some chopped serrano pepper. I served this peanut soup with some quinoa, chopped roasted peanuts, and cilantro! The recipe adapted from Feasting from home.
BBQ chickpea sloppy joes: This plant-based sloppy joes is packed with fiber, protein, phosphorus, and poly- and monounsaturated fatty acid! I made a slight modification on the recipe, by including chopped celery and carrots, to give extra texture! I have these sloppy joes with a whole wheat bun, and some homemade coleslaw. The recipe adapted from Kitchen Treaty.
Kale, Clementine, and Feta salad with honey-lime dressing: This is my new favorite salad. It has a little bit of sweetness, crunchiness, saltiness, and creaminess. Please pardon my mistake, I forgot to add roasted sunflower seeds and avocado when taking the picture of this salad. The recipe was adapted from Cookie and Kate.
Fresh spring rolls with peanut sauce: I shared this recipe on one of the previous postings. It is a finger-licking appetizer! It is definitely packed with fiber! The recipe adapted from Feasting from home.
Pumpkin oatmeal cups: These pumpkin oatmeal cups are soft and chewy and are so easy to make. It is perfect for breakfast and/or as an afternoon snack! The recipe adapted from Sally’s baking recipes.
References
Blake, J. (2021). The Med diet made easy. Today’s Dietitian, 23 (28), p. 18. Retrieved from https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/0521p18.shtml
Denette, C. (2022). Hypertension & body weight. Today’s Dietitian, 24 (2), p. 20. Retrieved from https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/0222p20.shtml
Linton, J. (2022). Peanut nutrition 101. National Peanut Board. Retrieved from https://www.nationalpeanutboard.org/wellness/peanut-nutrition.htm