Heart Healthy Food Choices

Need help remodeling your heart health? Give your kitchen contents a makeover.

Keep black beans, garbanzo beans and lentils around as heart-friendly meal starters. Cook with olive, canola or coconut oils, rather than solid fats, to lower your saturated fat intake.

Throw out frozen fried foods and instead keep lean cuts of chicken and turkey on hand. Stock up on frozen vegetables to steam, but be sure they don't include added sodium or sauces.

If you're looking for a dairy alternative, replace the cheese on your sandwiches with avocado, a great source of unsaturated healthy fats. Keep dark leafy greens on hand — they contain potassium, which helps control blood pressure.

Choose wheat or other whole-grain or sprouted-grain bread options rather than refined white bread. Whole-wheat products contain more fiber than the white alternatives, along with folate, riboflavin and B vitamins.

For a heart-healthy dose, eat a 3.5-ounce serving of fatty fish (such as salmon, trout and tuna) at least two times per week.

When it comes to finding foods that are good for your heart, your snack drawer needs a makeover just like the rest of your kitchen.

High-sugar and high-sodium foods are out — get rid of things like snack cakes, potato chips and cookies. Instead, try stocking your snack drawer with options such as wholegrain pretzels, light popcorn or brown rice cakes. If you have to buy chips, look for options that are baked and made with whole grains.

Unsweetened, freeze-dried fruits make a great, heart-healthy snack option, as do peanuts, cashews or almonds. Though nuts are a great source of protein and unsaturated fats, they can be high in calories, so only eat a small quantity at a time.

Chocolate also contains healthy fats — choose the highest level of cacao that's tasty to your palate and enjoy in small portions.

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