Get heart smart!
Valentine's Day is right around the corner. And what better way to say "I love you" than to take care of your own heart as well as those you love. Eating heart smart not only keeps your ticker ticking, it also keeps your brain alive and well by reducing your risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Below is what to eat (or drink) to keep your heart happy and healthy from now on.Drink thisCoffee. Coffee is loaded with antioxidants, which protect your body from free radicals. Free radicals damages cells and are linked with cancer, heart disease and other chronic illness. Coffee drinkers also have lower rates of liver disease, diabetes, stroke, Parkinson's and depression. Add skim or 1% milk and leave out the cream and sugar, which add fat and unwanted calories.Not thatSoft drinks (regular or diet). The link between sugar consumption and poor health seems to get stronger every year. Recent research suggests the more soda you drink, the higher your risk for heart disease and stroke. And don't believe that diet is any better. Diet soda drinkers were more overweight and have chronic illness than non-soda drinkers.Bite thisNuts. Tree nuts (particularly almonds, walnuts and cashews) have been found to be one of the healthiest nuts to eat. Almonds and cashews are high in MUFAS (mono-unsaturated fats), which help protect arteries from atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Walnuts are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties.Not thatPretzels. While pretzels are fat free, they're also made with refined flour and lots of salt. Consider them like dehydrated white bread sticks coated in salt. Not the best option for your blood pressure.Bite thisBarley. Barley is not just for soup or beef stew. This hearty grain cooks up similar to oatmeal, but contains more cholesterol lowering soluble fiber than oatmeal. Add some cinnamon, vanilla and chopped walnuts for a tasty breakfast alternative.Not thatCream of wheat. Sorry cream of wheat. Though wheat is in your name, your white color gives you away. Cream of wheat is made from refined wheat- not whole grain. This type of cereal raises blood sugar quickly, then drops it like a hot potato. Not a great choice for morning when you need to focus the most.Bite thisDried beans. Dried beans (AKA "soup beans") are loaded with many heart-healthy nutrients. For one, they're high in soluble fiber- the type that lowers blood cholesterol. In addition, they contain blood pressure lowering potassium and folate- a B vitamin found to reduce homocysteine- a chemical in the blood linked with heart disease and stroke.Not thatGreen beans. While green beans are not "unhealthy" per se, they aren't exactly a nutritional powerhouse either. They contain minimal amounts of fiber and some vitamin C, but are at least low in calories. Drink thisRed wine. Red wine is perfect for Valentine's Day as it's loaded with a substance called resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant found to raise HDL ("healthy" cholesterol) and prevent fatty deposits on arterial walls. Good choices include Cabernet, Merlot, Shiraz and Malbec. Keep your serving moderate- 4 oz/day for women, or 8 oz/day for men. Not thatWhite wine. Thankfully white wine isn't all that desirable in the winter! The antioxidant benefit of wine comes from the grape skins, which are stripped away with white wine. White wine is a wee bit lower in calories (70 VS 73) than red.