If you are cooking at home, it can be tempting to prepare comfort foods that are high in saturated fats or sugars. Packaged foods can be especially tempting, but these items are typically not beneficial for your heart health. In this segment, we will provide some tips for maintaining a heart-healthy diet in today’s world. 

Even in the current climate, try to make sure that you are eating a balanced diet with a blend of proteins, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. While certain fresh produce items may currently be harder to access, consider buying unprocessed frozen vegetables and berries. If possible, try to avoid canned soups and vegetables, which often contain a great deal more sodium than fresh or frozen produce. 

As always, a heart-healthy diet includes: 

• Any and all colorful fruits and vegetables: spinach, kale, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, broccoli, squash, apples, and more
• Healthy fats from avocados, nuts, olive oil or an alternative
• Food high in fiber, which can include whole grains (cereal, bread) or legumes

It would be helpful to avoid: 

• Fried or processed food (including high-sodium canned items)
• Frozen pizzas & frozen processed dinners
• Packaged foods, especially those high in sugar
• White bread, rice, or pasta 
• Sausage, salami, or other processed meats

Focus on avoiding high sodium, processed foods during this time. While a quick, frozen meal may seem like the easiest option, it is not ideal for your overall well -being and heart health! These quick and easy tips can help us maintain a heart-healthy lifestyle in the current climate and beyond. Check out our recipe guide for heart-healthy recipes during this time of social distancing or request more information on how Advanced Body Scan of Tulsa can help you make healthy choices for heart health.