Leafy greens and fruits may taste delicious and leave you feeling good, but they also leave you feeling something else: hungry. These items, even with their high-fiber content, aren’t exactly filling.
But some filling heart-healthy foods can leave you feeling satiated and satisfied, limiting the likelihood of dangerous evening snacking.
Yes, that after-dinner snack could boost your risk for weight gain, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
So, how do you avoid the urge?
Eating a heart-healthy dinner like eggplant can help. Grilling eggplant, baking it, and even dusting it with some panko and air-frying it can create a filling, healthy meal.
For example, the other night, I decided to treat myself to a fried eggplant burger. I lightly breaded and air fried to thick slices of eggplant, topped it with some heart-healthy tomatoes and onions, added some pickle, and had it alongside some filling broccoli.
The meal was packed with nutrients that are associated with a lower risk of heart disease that might extend my life. Here’s a bit of a breakdown of what that dinner offered:
- Fiber
- Potassium
- Vitamin C
- Anthocyanins (heart-healthy antioxidants that may play a role in lower blood pressure)
- Lycopene (highly present in tomato, great for heart health)
And that’s not even all. And the best part is I wasn’t hungry before touching down for bed nearly four hours later!
Eggplant is extremely versatile and filling. Eggplant can be used as a plant-based substitute for lasagna or baked in a parmesan casserole. When combined with tomato sauce, it gets even healthier!
If you give it a try and still feel like you need a snack, here’s a little tip: reach for air-popped popcorn. Popcorn is very low-calorie, high in fiber, and very filling. Just make sure it’s not coated in butter-products or sugary seasoning!
There are several meaty plant-based foods out there that can help save your heart. Eggplant is just one of them!