Written by: Nicole Pazdziorko, RDN, LD, Food City Dietitian 

Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. While certain factors, such as family history and genetics can predispose us to a greater risk of heart disease, some factors in our control can mitigate that risk. What we eat every day has a significant impact on the prevention and treatment of heart disease. In observance of American Heart Month, follow these easy heart smart tips to take steps to better health.

 

Find Shelf Stable Items with No Added Sodium

While we require some sodium in our diets, the average American consumes far too much, primarily from packaged foods, like luncheon meats and cheese, frozen meals, breads and wraps, prepared soups and snack foods.

 

For the general population, The American Heart Association recommends limiting sodium intake to 2300 milligrams per day or less. For individuals with high blood pressure, the recommendation is just 1500 milligrams of sodium or less per day. 

 

To help control sodium intake, swap for shelf stable items with no added sodium. Food City Food Club products offers plenty of picks to stock your pantry, including fruits, vegetables, whole grain products and legumes. Shop smarter with Pick Well Low Sodium tag. Conveniently find items that are low sodium with color coded shelf tags. Designated foods contain 140 mg or less of sodium per serving- making them a low sodium choice. Add these low sodium picks to your cart:

• Pomi Tomato Sauce

• Full Circle Market Green Lentils 

• Full Circle Market Low Sodium Three Bean Blend

• Food Club No Salt Added Sliced Carrots   

 

 

Fill Your Cart with Foods Naturally Low in Sodium

A healthy diet tip recommends filling half your plate with fruits and vegetables. To limit sodium intake, prioritize fresh produce, which is naturally low in sodium. Fruits and vegetables can also contain essential minerals which help lower blood pressure. Magnesium, calcium, potassium are minerals that assist in lowering blood pressure. Choose foods rich in these nutrients, like:

• Bananas  

• Basket & Bushel Red Potatoes

• Full Circle Market Power Greens

• Mandarin Oranges       

 

 

Choose the Right Fats

Dietary fat has come back in vogue in recent years, partly due to the rise in popularity of low-carbohydrate diets. While it is true that fat has been unfairly maligned in decades past, it is important to prioritize the right fats to promote a healthy heart. Fat is an essential nutrient that provides a source of insulation and warmth for our organs and assists with the absorption of certain vitamins, but not all fats are created equal. Saturated fats are found primarily in animal-based products, such as fatty cuts of beef and poultry, butter, cheese and cream, and have the potential to raise blood cholesterol levels and increase risk of heart disease. On the other hand, unsaturated fats, like nuts and seeds, olives, fatty fish and oils that are typically liquid at room temperature, and help promote heart health. 

 

Food City’s Pick Well program can help to identify foods that are richer in heart healthy fats. Look for the Heart Healthy tag when shopping online or on Food City shelves to find heart smart picks like:

• Full Circle Market Chia Seeds

• Food Club Almonds 

• Full Circle Market Atlantic Sockeye Salmon 

• Food Club Avocado Oil.