American Heart Association provides tips to start eating healthy

The American Heart Association encourages the community to make healthy eating choices on Wednesday, Nov. 2 — Start Eating Healthy Day.

Start Eating Healthy Day is dedicated to the health and wellness of all Americans. It’s vital to maintain a healthy and well-balanced eating pattern as well as engage in physical activity — on Start Eating Healthy Day and every day. Start Eating Healthy Day encourages you to make small changes each day to incorporate healthier food choices.

While it’s generally healthier and cheaper to buy groceries at the store and prepare your meals at home, sometimes the sheer number of food choices at the supermarket can seem overwhelming. Here are some tips to help you be heart-smart at the grocery store and choose good-for-you foods.

• Be sure to buy and eat plenty of fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables that are deeply colored throughout – such as spinach, carrots, peaches and berries – tend to be higher in vitamins and minerals than others, such as potatoes and corn.
• Buy more fruits and vegetables that are good sources of fiber, including beans, peas, oranges, bananas, strawberries and apples.
• Stock up on raw vegetables for snacks such as carrot and celery sticks, broccoli, cherry tomatoes and cauliflower.
• Select fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk.
• Choose fat-free, low-fat or reduced-fat cheeses.
• Use egg whites or egg substitutes instead of egg yolks. (Substitute two egg whites for each egg yolk in recipes that call for eggs.)
• Buy and prepare more fish. You should eat one serving of grilled or baked fish at least twice a week.
  • Choose cuts of red meat and pork labeled “loin” and “round”; they usually have the least fat.
  • Choose lemon juice and spices to eat with fish. Don’t add cream sauces.
  • When buying or eating poultry, choose the leaner light meat (breasts) rather than the fattier dark meat (legs and thighs).
  • Choose whole-grain, high-fiber breads, such as those containing whole wheat, oats, oatmeal, whole rye, whole grain corn and buckwheat.
  • Buy and use fats and oils in limited amounts.
  • Buy a nonstick pan or use nonstick vegetable spray when cooking.
  • Choose reduced-fat, low-fat, light or fat-free salad dressings (if you need to limit your calories) to use with salads, for dips or as marinades.

Through this day, the American Heart Association’s My Heart. My Life. platform will increase awareness of the importance of good nutrition; provide education, tools and resources to companies nationwide; and raise funds to help in the fight against heart disease and stroke.

About the American Heart Association

Founded in 1924, the American Heart Association today is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of heart disease and stroke.  These diseases, America’s No. 1 and No. 4 killers, and all other cardiovascular diseases claim nearly 870,000 lives a year.  In fiscal year 2006-07 the association invested more than $554 million in research, professional and public education, advocacy and community service programs to help all Americans live longer, healthier lives. To learn more, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit heart.org.