In honor of American Heart Month, we have partnered with Boston-based Registered Dietitian, Skylar Griggs, to offer some heart healthy eating tips. Skylar is the lead dietitian for the preventive cardiology division at Boston Children’s Hospital and the CEO of Newbury Street Nutrition, a concierge nutrition practice.

According to Skylar, a food is considered heart healthy if it is high in fiber, low in saturated fat, low in sodium, contains healthy fats, and is not excessively high in sugar. Learn how these factors effect your cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure in the tips below.

Heart Healthy Tips

Focus on Fiber

Fiber is an indigestible carbohydrate found in many fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds that supports heart health because it helps to lower your blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels. Fiber also slows the rate of digestion, helping to lower blood sugar spikes and keep you feeling satisfied for longer periods of time.

Go for Healthy Fats

Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats (think omega-3 fatty acids) are filled with heart healthy fats that boost your HDL (good) cholesterol. Saturated fat can contribute to increased LDL (bad) cholesterol. Trans Fats were banned by the FDA in 2018 and should not be found in foods anymore—these also boost the LDL cholesterol. Limiting saturated fats will benefit your heart health and overall wellbeing.

Be Mindful of Added Sugar & Sodium

Excess sugar intake can lead to high blood glucose levels, which contribute to type 2 diabetes, high triglyceride levels, insulin resistance, and inflammation.

Reserve foods high in sugar for the occasional celebratory meal and instead seek out carbs that are also high in fiber, like whole fruit and vegetables. The recommended daily value of sugar is no more than 24g per day for women and no more than 36g for men.

While sodium is an important electrolyte, excessive sodium intake can contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Skylar recommends limiting sodium intake to 1,500mg - 2,000mg per day for a healthy heart.

Explore an array of low sodium and low sugar dishes here.