Sugary and salty foods are to be ranked the last in a healthy heart diet due to the high caloric content of sugar and sodium content of salt. You would be surprised to know that 1 teaspoon of sugar adds on 20 calories to your menu….. All the excess calories get stored as fat, which is one of the most common causes of heart disease.
On the other hand, most doctors and nutritionist advise to restrict the consumption of salt as well. This is because very often people with heart disease have sodium retention in the body which is also responsible for narrowing the blood supply to the heart as mentioned earlier.
1. The taste of sugar and salt is acquired and can always be let go of. Decreasing the intake of sugar and salt gradually is sure to help you steadily acquire a taste for food with lower quantities of both. Do not stock sugary and salty foods like biscuits, chocolates, mithais, wafers, etc. at home. Instead, stock up your pantry with low fat cream cracker biscuit or a basketful of fruits, healthy khakhras etc.
2. Avoid the consumption of alcohol and soft drinks as they abound in sugar.
3. Sugary foods like cakes, puddings, pies and cookies are also high in fat. It is a wise decision to stay away from these sugar-laden sweet treats. Use complex carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables to satisfy your sugar craving.
4. Restrict the consumption of table salt. An easy way to adapt this into your daily life is by removing the salt-shaker from the dining table and replacing it with pepper-shaker. If you must add salt, then avoid it while cooking.
5. Experiment with herbs. Season foods with tulsi leaves, curry powder, oregano, chilli powder, dill, caraway seeds, cloves, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, ginger, mustard powder, pepper, sesame seeds, lemon juice, garlic, pepper, orange rind as these ingredients tend to cut down the desire for salt.
6. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables like guava, orange, papaya, peach, grapefruit, brinjal, cucumber, French beans, ladies finger etc. which are low in sodium and high in potassium, as this tends to counteract the effects of high sodium levels in the body.
7. Avoid papads, pickles, canned and preserved foods, salted foods like chips, popcorn, sev etc., butter, cheese, soda bicarbonate, ajinomoto, salted biscuits, bread and ketchups as these have a high sodium content.
8. Read nutrition labels on packaged foods correctly. Watch out for words like, salt, sodium, sodium chloride, MSG (mono sodium glutamate) and ajinomoto as all these are sodium compounds and add up to your total sodium intake.
Enjoy our collection of some low salt and healthy heart recipes given below from One Meal Soup to Masala Stuffed Paratha to a low Salt Frankie and high Fibre Bread made with less salt.
Other articles you will find interesting related to a Heart and Cholesterol.
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