Eating for a Healthy Heart… Made Easy

By Dietitian, Juliette Kellow BSc RD

• Eat fewer fried and fatty foods such as cream, butter, full-fat dairy products, fatty red meat, cakes, biscuits, pastries and takeaways – and find lower-fat alternatives instead.
   
• If you have to use oil, go for one that’s packed with monounsaturates such as olive oil or rapeseed oil.
   
• Top salads with heart-healthy avocado instead of mayonnaise. It’s not as high in calories as you think – half a small avocado contains just 95 calories. That’s less than a tablespoon of mayo!
   
• Eat five servings of fruit and veg every day – they’re low in fat and calories but will help to fill you up.
   
• Go for high-fibre carbs such as wholemeal bread, wholegrain cereals, brown rice and wholewheat pasta. They’re far more filling than the white stuff.
   
• Start your day with a bowl of porridge or instant oat cereal.
   
• Use a little less meat in dishes like stews, soups and casseroles and add barley, lentils or beans instead.
   
• Swap a pot of regular yogurt for a soya yogurt or make a fruit shake using soya milk and fruit.
   
• Eat oily fish once a week – swap canned tuna for grilled fresh tuna, lunch on sardines with toast or serve salmon for dinner.
   
• Slash the salt content of your diet – check salt levels before you buy.
   
• If you drink, stick to sensible limits – that’s no more than 3-4 units a day for men and 2-3 units daily for women.
   
• Have a look at my Healthy Heart Diet article for more in-depth information on heart health. Then use the food diary and tools in WLR to see how it all fits together, you can try it free for 24 hours.