Heart Healthy Eating-Mediterranean Style
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America. Fortunately, many risk factors are things we have control over, such as our food and lifestyle choices. Eating heart-healthy foods will lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. It can lower your cholesterol and triglycerides. Heart-healthy eating can help manage risk factors like blood pressure and blood sugar. Making nutritious food choices such as the Mediterranean-style eating pattern and working in physical activity throughout the day are two excellent ways to help keep your heart beating strong.
What is a Heart-Healthy Mediterranean eating style?
Fill ½ your plate with Colorful, non-starchy vegetables - broccoli, carrots, green beans & dark greens like arugula, kale and spinach
Fill ¼ of your plate with lean protein foods (3 oz. cooked)
Eat fish like salmon and tuna 1-2 x week
Try 1 meal a week with no meat—use dried beans, split peas, lentils, and soy foods for protein
Choose foods with healthy fats and oils and include Extra-virgin olive oil as the main source of fat
Include other healthy fats such as avocado, unsalted nuts and seeds, almond and peanut butter
Avoid processed foods such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs, pepperoni, jerky and refined grains such as white breads, white rice and pastas.
Fill ¼ of your plate with high fiber whole grain foods such as barley, oats, brown or wild rice, quinoa and 100% whole wheat breads and pastas.
Make fruit your dessert—include fresh or dried fruits, frozen or canned fruit with no added sugar
Choose low fat or fat free dairy foods or dairy-free options such as skim or 1% milk, low fat yogurt with no added sugar, unprocessed cheeses like feta and parmesan, fortified soy, oat and nut milks with no sugar
Choose mostly water
Flavor foods with herbs, spices, citrus juices and vinegars to limit salt
Eating the Mediterranean-style can be easy:
Breakfast: Plan low fat Greek yogurt with berries and nuts, coffee or tea with no sugar
Lunch: Whole-wheat pita packed with black beans, hummus, fresh spinach and tomatoes, a sliced apple, water
Snack: ¼ cup almonds and baby carrots
Dinner: Grilled salmon with brown rice, a green leafy salad with strawberries, pecans, avocado slices with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
Dessert: Cut up seasonal fruit
Include these heart healthy items at your next grocery store visit:
Beans, peas, lentils
Fruits and Vegetables (fresh, frozen or canned without added sugars or salt)
Salmon, Tuna
Whole-grain breads, cereals, and pasta, brown rice, barley
Nuts such as almonds, walnuts, pecans and hazelnuts
Olive Oil, avocados
Information contributed by Denise Cleveland, TEAM Dietitian
Contact TEAM to work with a Dietitian to learn more. A Registered Dietitian can help you make an individualized heart-healthy meal plan that works best for your lifestyle and support you in your nutrition journey.