Eating Right for a Healthy Heart

There’s a reason why Indian River Select juices are all made with the finest ingredients. We take the saying “you are what you eat” very seriously. Eating a balanced diet is important for your health, and we want our customers to be as healthy and active as possible.  

We hope you’ve been enjoying the posts from Dr. Sonali Ruder. She’s just as passionate about healthy eating as we are, and she has some tips for people that want to eat a heart healthy diet. If you’re ready to take your health into your own hands and try new foods, pay close attention to her list of heart healthy foods!

Foods to Eat:

• Fruits and vegetables– Try to fill half of your plate with colorful fruits and vegetables, which are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber and disease-fighting antioxidants.  If you drink juice, choose juice such as Indian River Select® juice that has no added sugars.  Their juice is 100% natural and is made with only one ingredient- Florida oranges or grapefruits.  One 8-ounce glass of Indian River Select® orange or grapefruit juice provides more than 100% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C.
  It’s also a good source of potassium, folate, and thiamine. I like drinking Indian River Select® juice plain or incorporating it into my recipes such as smoothies, soups and salad dressings for a pop of bright flavor. 
• Whole grains such as oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat bread and pasta.  Whole grains are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients as opposed to refined grains (like white rice and white pasta), which have had the most nutritious parts of the grain stripped away.  
• Fat-free or Low-fat dairy such as milk, cheese or yogurt.
• Lean proteins such as fish, lean meats, eggs, nuts, seeds, soy products (tofu), and legumes (such as beans, lentils and chickpeas).  Seafood (such as salmon, tuna and trout) is also packed with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. 
• Foods high in unsaturated fats such as olive, safflower and canola oil, nuts and nut butters (walnuts and almonds), seeds (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, flax), avocados, and tofu.

Foods to Limit:

•  Sodium– most people over the age of 14 should be eating less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day.  Those with high blood pressure may need to limit it even more.  The majority of salt in our diets comes from restaurant and packaged foods (like soups, pasta sauces, and beans and bread) so be sure to read nutrition labels and choose low-sodium, reduced-sodium or no-salt-added products.  Try to cook at home as much as possible with fresh ingredients so you can control the amount of sodium in your meals.
• Saturated Fat– saturated or “bad” fats come from animal sources and are found in foods like meat, butter, and cheese.  They should make up less than 10% of your daily calories.
• Trans Fat– products with trans fats, which are made with partially hydrogenated oils.  These include packaged desserts, stick margarine, microwave popcorn and non-dairy creamer.  Trans fats raise total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol, lower HDL (good) cholesterol, contribute to insulin resistance, and increase your risk of heart disease.
• Added Sugars– these are sugars that do not occur naturally in foods but instead are added to foods and drinks during processing. In the US, sweetened drinks, snacks and sweets are the major sources of added sugars.  High intakes of sugar provide a lot of calories but little or no nutrients and can increase the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

Alcohol- the USDA Dietary Guidelines recommend that adults choose not to drink or drink in moderation by limiting intake to 2 drinks or less in a day for men and 1 drink or less in a day for women on days when alcohol is consumed.  Certain people should not consume alcohol at all (such as pregnant women or those with certain medical conditions).  Alcohol provides empty calories and can increase your risk of diseases such as heart disease and certain types of cancer.  

Want more tips on how you can lead a heart-healthy lifestyle? Check out Dr.Ruder’s post on 5 tips for a healthy heart.