Tips On Putting Together An Affordable Great Tasting Cardiovascular Diet


by R.D. Hawkins - Date: 2010-06-26 - Word Count: 552 Share This!

In some respect trying to formulate a cardiovascular diet for both heart and artery health, that doesn't leave you feeling flat can be quite a challenge. The key to developing a cardiovascular diet is knowing which foods are considered heart healthy and then using your creativity to put together a cardiovascular diet that works for you both from a heart health and financial perspective.

The financial angle of developing a cardiovascular diet is rarely discussed probably, because many heart healthy foods are quite expensive. For instance the American Heart Association, as well as others suggest two servings of backed cold water fatty fish per week. Of these cold water fatty fish salmon is considered to be the highest in heart healthy omega 3 oils. The truth is if you are on a tight budget trying to feed a family of four fresh salmon may not be on the menu due to its prohibitive pricing. But as with most things, if there is a will there is a way and canned salmon can be quite reasonable. Additionally, sardines and tuna are also high in heart healthy omega 3 oils and if you can find a way to work them into your family recipes they can be an excellent alternative. A word of warning though, some studies suggest that because of ocean pollution tuna is becoming dangerously high in mercury and should only be consumed in moderation.

By using your imagination to create a canned salmon salad garnished with carrots and/or broccoli you have been able to use your culinary skills to produce a meal that is both heart healthy and affordable. But while you have a good thing going, keep in mind that many salad dressings are high in artery clogging saturated fat, so a vinaigrette or lemon wedges would be much better choices.

One other interesting piece of research that has come to light in recent months concerning a heart healthy cardiovascular diet has to do with sugar and refined sugars. According to a large study (80,000 women) sugar and refined sugars decrease good cholesterol (HDL) and raise the levels of the very dangerous early stage fats known as triglycerides. In fact one doctor after reviewing these results concluded that there is a distinct possibility that eating a diet which includes moderate saturated fat is better than a diet low in saturated fat and rich in sugars and refined carbohydrates.

Another villain in a healthy cardiovascular diet are trans fats also known as hydrogenated fats. These are manmade fats that have many of the same properties as saturated fats and are perhaps the unhealthiest of all. Trans fats increase bad cholesterol (LDL) and decrease good cholesterol (HDL) and can sometimes be found in tasty delights such as cookies, crackers, and microwaveable popcorn.

Now that we have laid the groundwork for creating a delicious cardiovascular diet that is sure to dazzle your friend and family let's add some heart healthy foods to use as building blocks. They are: black beans, tuna, extra virgin olive oil, walnuts, almonds, sweet potato (dry), tofu, carrots, oatmeal, flaxseed grain (bread, muffins), low fat yogurt (watch the sugar content), cherries, blueberries, avocados, lettuce, and any product fortified with plant sterols.

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Related Tags: cardiovascular diet, healthy cardiovascular diet, tasting cardiovascular diet

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