What you eat affects important factors that contribute to heart disease. Making healthy choices about the food you eat can improve your:
- Blood cholesterol and triglyceride
- Blood pressure
- Blood sugar levels (glucose)
- Weight and waist circumference
Making healthy food choices doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here are 10 tips to help you eat healthy:
1. Cook at home more often
Cooking at home gives you more control over what you eat. It can be as simple as scrambled eggs, whole grain toast, tomato and cucumber slices.
2. How you eat is as important as what you eat
Enjoy meal times and the food you eat! Try to avoid distractions like your phone or TV while you eat. Sit down and enjoy a meal at the table.
3. Eat at regular times
Eat breakfast within 1 to 2 hours after waking up. Try to eat every 4-6 hours. Plan snacks if you need them.
4. Listen to your body
Pay attention to when you feel hungry or full.
5. Eat a variety of vegetables and fruit at every meal
Enjoy brightly coloured whole vegetables and fruit. Fresh or frozen, try them in different ways - raw, roasted, steamed or sautéed.
6. Eat whole grains more often
Switch to whole wheat pasta, whole grain or dark rye bread or wild rice. Try something new in your soup, salad or casserole like quinoa, bulgur or barley.
7. Include legumes like beans, chickpeas, lentils, nuts and seeds more often
Add them to salads, soups and grain dishes. Legumes can replace meat in your meals. Try a vegetarian chili.
8. Don’t be afraid of fat
You need fat for good health and it adds flavour to your cooking. Use plant-based fats such as olive or canola oil.
9. Choose water to drink
Choose water or bubbly water to drink instead of juice, pop and other sugar sweetened beverages.
10. Add flavor to your food using herbs, spices, vinegars and lemon juice
Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt.
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In 2025, the Ottawa Heart Institute is launching One Million Canadian Hearts, a pioneering initiative to screen one million Canadians for cardiovascular disease risk factors. Sign up to receive our newsletter with prevention tips and healthy living advice from our experts. We will also let you know when the One Million Canadian Hearts initiative comes to a neighbourhood near you!
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