Heart-Healthy Eating Made Easy

Simple, small changes in what you eat can make it easier to follow a heart-healthy diet. Experts in the Harvard Heart Letter made these suggestions to lower the amount of saturated fat, trans fat, sugar, sodium, and calories, and boost the amount of fiber and nutrients in a daily diet:

Breakfast

If you eat:Eggs

Try:Scrambling eggs with vegetables from last night’s dinner or chopped fresh tomatoes and avocado

Why:Adds nutrients and fiber; tomatoes add antioxidants, which help prevent fatty plaques; avocados add monounsaturated fat, which helps the body absorb nutrients

Lunch

If you eat:Salad with ranch or blue cheese dressing

Try:A vinaigrette dressing made with garlic, Dijon mustard, fresh herbs, 1/3 cup vinegar, 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, pepper, and a dash of salt shaken together in a jar

Why:Reduces sodium and unhealthy fats

Dinner

If you eat:Pasta with meat and cheese

Try:Whole-wheat spaghetti topped with fresh tomatoes and herbs or extra-virgin olive oil, grilled shrimp, and a small amount of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Why:Reduces saturated fat; adds fiber and health-protecting phytonutrients; shrimp adds omega-3 fatty acids, which may lower the risk of heart attack, stroke, and irregular heart beats