Heart Health and Nutrition

Healthy kickstart to your day

• Don’t skip meals. Following a regular eating schedule makes it easier to monitor your diet and avoid become overly hungry.
• Start each day with a whole grain cereal, such as Quaker Oats.
• Use low fat dairy products rather than full fat in your cereal.
• Keep your coffee simple. Adding ingredients such as cream, sugar, or chocolate can add a lot of extra fat and/or calories.
• Add fresh fruit and granola to low-fat yogurt to make a more balanced meal.

Lunch healthier choices

• Pack a healthy lunch instead of using the vending machines at lunchtime.
• Substitute a side salad for fries with your sandwich when you are eating lunch.
• Top a baked potato with salsa instead of butter and cheese.
• When you’re ordering a sandwich, substitute mustard or mayonnaise for fat free/low fat Greek yogurt.
• Eat the edible skins of fruits and vegetables for more nutrients than without the peel.
• Don’t be afraid to experiment! Sample a new fruit or vegetable that you’ve never tried before.
• Choose lean cuts of poultry, fish or white meat pork rather than fatty red meats.
• Ask your butcher to trim any excess fat from your meat selections.
• Don’t fry meats, try grilling them instead.
• Use oils such as olive and rapeseed oil , instead of butter, when cooking to help lower saturated fat intake.
• Top whole-wheat spaghetti with a marinara style sauce instead of a cream-based sauce.
• Steam or bake your vegetables instead of boiling them so they keep more of their flavours and to prevent leaching of nutrients.
• Add extra vegetables to your favorite soups, salads and stews.
• Use fresh herbs and spices to season your food instead of salt.
• Add oats, whole-wheat flour or wheatgerm to your favorite bread, cakes or muffin recipes.
• Eat a small salad or piece of fresh fruit before you go out to dinner so you aren’t feeling famished.
• To avoid overeating at a restaurant, cut your entrée in half and take the second portion home.

Healthier snacks option

• Make a nutritious smoothie by blending fresh fruit, skimmed or semi skimmed milk rather than full fat and a few ice cubes in a blender.
• For variety, try a small handful (30 grams) of almonds or walnuts for a crunchy snack – they contain essential nutrients. But, watch the amount of nuts you eat – they also are high in calories.
• Keep lower fat snacks, such as crunchy vegetable sticks, unbuttered popcorn, or cut fruit on hand instead of cookies and crackers.

Healthy habits to remember

• Thirst can be misinterpreted as hunger, so we should drink about 1.2 litres (six to eight glasses) per day to help keep your body hydrated.
• Start reading the nutrition labels on the packages of foods that you buy.
• Take your time when you are eating to help avoid overeating.
• Don’t label any food as off-limits. If you eat a piece of chocolate cake, simply adjust your caloric intake for the rest of the day to account for it.
• Avoid doing other activities while you are eating, such as watching television or reading the newspaper.
• Buy portion-controlled foods. There are many single-serving sized pre-packaged foods available at the grocery store, including cereal and lower sodium soups.