50+ Lifestyles

Heart Healthy Eating

By Beth Freehill, MS, RD, LD
Hy-Vee Registered Dietician
Clinton Hy-Vee
(563) 243-6162

February is denoted as American Heart Month, so let’s take this time to review heart-healthy eating tips. In general, the American Heart Association recommends these strategies to help protect your heart:

1. Eat a wide variety of nutritious foods in the right amounts from all the food groups.
   • Include lots of different kinds of vegetables and fruits, especially deeply colored varieties.
   • Include plenty of fiber-rich, whole-grain foods.
   • Choose fat-free, 1% and low-fat dairy products.
   • Eat fish, preferably fish containing omega-3 fatty acids (for example, salmon, trout and tuna) at least twice a week.
   • Select lean meats and skinless poultry.
   • Include legumes, nuts and seeds.
2. Limit high-calorie, low nutrient foods.
   • Reduce the amount of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol you eat.
   • Limit sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit drinks, and save high-calorie snacks and desserts for occasional treats.
   • Keep sodium to a minimum by limiting prepackaged foods and choosing unprocessed foods and products that are the lowest sodium available and using little or no salt when preparing foods.
   • If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation.

Your Hy-Vee dietitians are here to assist you. Contact your local Hy-Vee in-store dietitian for more information about personal shopping assistance and other nutrition services. Try this great recipe to ease your way into eating heart-healthy.

Mustard-Crusted Salmon
Serves 4.

This updated French bistro dish makes a simple dinner any night of the week. You might want to consider doubling the batch and using the remaining salmon in a tossed salad the next day.
Active: 10 minutes Total: 20 minutes

All you need:
1 1/4 pounds center-cut salmon fillets, cut into 4 portions
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
2 tbsp stone-ground mustard
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tsp lemon juice
Lemon wedges, for serving

All you do:

1. Preheat broiler. Line a broiler pan or baking sheet with foil, then coat it with cooking spray.
2. Place salmon pieces, skin-side down, on the prepared pan. Season with salt and pepper. Combine sour cream, mustard and lemon juice in a small bowl. Spread evenly over the salmon.
3. Broil the salmon 5 inches from the heat source until it is opaque in the center, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 225 calories, 10g fat, 3g saturated fat, 83mg cholesterol, 90mg sodium, 1g carbohydrate, 0g fiber, 29g protein.
Source: adapted from Eating Well, Inc.

This information is not intended as medical advice.  Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.

Beth Freehill is a registered dietician at Hy-Vee. She can be reached at (563) 243-6162 or at bfrehill@hy-vee.com.