Heart-Healthy Diet: 6 Tips to Prevent Cheating on Your Diet

A heart-healthy diet doesn’t have to include sacrifices. People can eat and prepare the foods they love without cheating or sneaking unhealthy snacks.

The key is concentrating on delicious foods that make you full, not stuffed. Whole, natural foods please the stomach and protect the heart.

Here are six tips to use for a heart-healthy diet and to avoid cheating:

1. Whole grains are not only heart healthy and fiber-rich to regulate blood pressure, but they also give you a full feeling so you no longer have a need to satisfy the appetite. This cuts down or eliminates unnecessary fatty foods that may seem appealing when you’re hungry, advises Mayo Clinic.

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Select whole grain breads, pastas and flours instead of refined breads, pastas, and flours, which lose nutrients in the refining process. Other whole-grain sources include high-fiber cereal, brown rice, barley, and oatmeal.

2. Limit saturated fats that raise harmful cholesterol levels by replacing them with low-fat substitutions or healthy fats.

That baked potato might taste better with fatty butter or sour cream, but try non-fat salsa or low-fat yogurt instead. When cooking, use olive or canola oil, the monounsaturated fats, instead of butter or creamy sauces filled with saturated fats.

3. Choose lean meats, skinless poultry and fish for protein sources in a heart-healthy diet.

Trim the fat off meats whenever possible. Fish with omega-3 fatty acids are heart healthy and can be found in mackerel, salmon, and herring.

Beans, peas and lentils contain protein without the fat for occasional vegetarian dishes.

4. Eat more fruits and vegetables, raw, or steamed.

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Cooking them too much can lose nutrients. Fruits make a great replacement for sweets. The more fruits you eat, the less you will desire high-fat snacks. Keep celery or sliced carrots in the refrigerator, ready for snacking anytime.

Choose recipes or order dishes that are heavy on vegetables or fruits, says Mayo Clinic.

5. Savor your food by enjoying it in a quiet place or at the dinner table without distractions, recommends WebMD.

Too often people eat in a hurry at their office desk or in front of the TV. They might not even realize what they’ve eaten, still hungry. Enjoying the taste of foods makes for better digestion so you feel satisfied.

6. Eat more home-cooked foods in a heart-healthy diet.

Keep up with a supply of heart-healthy cookbooks or recipes in the kitchen. People are more likely to avoid cheating when preparing their own meals with healthy ingredients.

You might only have to cook once or twice a week, but you can store leftovers or healthy foods in containers and the refrigerator that will last for a week, HelpGuide notes.

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