Our heart is vital to us living our best and healthiest life. We need to make choices that will help us to maintain and keep our heart working its best. One of the hardest and easiest changes to make is the foods that we consume. It is hard to change habits, but how we eat can affect our vital organs. Start slowly and make the following substitutions on your next grocery trip.
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Cooking needs oil, and many times, it can take it into a less healthy zone. Changing from vegetable oil to extra-virgin olive oil will change the benefits of the meal. There is no need to find new meals while starting your health journey. Take your favorites and use a different oil. With extra-virgin olive oil, you will be adding monounsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants to your meal. It can help bring down inflammation in your heart. Which will help lessen the chance of developing a cardiovascular issue.
Seafood
After a long day, do you love grilling up a nice streak? Maybe your go-to meals are some hamburgers or chicken dinners. Seafood is a heart-healthy option to substitute these for. Not that you should never have a steak. With the seasoning and preparation, you could enjoy it just as much. Seafood is full of omega-3 and fatty acids that are good for your heart. Another benefit is that it helps increase the high-density lipoproteins we need and lowers the triglyceride levels we do not. Subbing out a red meat meal for fish could make an enormous difference in your overall health.
Berries
Are you ever looking for a sweet snack to hit the spot? Try reaching for some berries instead of the candy bag. They will hit the sweet spot and benefit your heart. If eating berries on their own is not ideal for you, try them frozen. Freezing them will make it a special treat, especially when it heats up during the summer. Or blend them into a delicious smoothie with your favorite vegetables. Get your favorite yogurt and mix in your favorite berries for a snack you will crave again and again. Berries are full of fiber and antioxidants that our bodies desperately need.
Spinach
When it comes to getting you greens, spinach is an important one to add to your diet. Spinach contains nitrate that will be converted to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide can aid in lowering your blood pressure. Add spinach into your go-to salads. Mix it with lettuce and dressing. You won’t even notice your extra healthy ingredient. Your smoothie is better with a bit of spinach added in and is only slightly detectable in the taste. Start your day off right by adding your greens to your eggs in the morning.
Your heart is worth the effort of making these slight substitutions to your regular diet. After you master these, keep going to become the healthiest version of yourself for your heart.