Valentine’s day is only three days away. If you’re still scrambling to put together a romantic meal, let us offer some suggestions that will go a long way in supporting your heart health. This holiday is the occasion surrounding the heart, so why not put together a menu that offers heart benefits?
A heart attack is, to this day, a severe health condition that affects nearly 735,000 Americans annually. Diet can play a significant role in reducing your risk of a heart attack along with supporting your circulatory system as a whole.
Advertisement
When it comes to eating a heart-healthy meal, you want to consider a few things. First of all, you want to choose menu items that won’t raise blood pressure significantly or impact cholesterol levels. This means when selecting a menu, you’ll want to opt for plenty of fruits and vegetables, mono- and poly-unsaturated fats, and the right types of carbohydrates – complex as opposed to refined.
Holidays and special occasions often have us overeating, choosing the wrong foods, and drinking too much alcohol, which can all negatively impact our heart health. This is why it’s so important to be mindful and keep the heart in mind when dining.
Valentine’s Day Menu Items
Here are some of our favorite dishes that you can whip up at home to serve to your sweetie. Click the titles below to uncover the complete recipe.
Get ready to experience a side of asparagus that you may never have before – raw! Asparagus spears are weapons of good health, loaded with fiber, vitamins, trace minerals, and powerful aging and disease-fighting properties. This freshly crisp salad is not only a unique eating experience, but it’s also a unique culinary experience. It embraces the peeler – a quick, safe alternative for those who don’t like chopping. With beautiful asparagus ribbons, this green salad boasts the perfect combination of raw, healthy ingredients, and makes the perfect side dish to any meal.
Traditional Waldorf salads feature mayonnaise, which is not always a heart-healthy ingredient. Eliminate the mayo, however, and you have a healthy recipe full of fruit and walnuts, which are full of omega-3 fatty acids for heart health and superior brain function.
Coconut Oil Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Use these roasted, nutty, sweet potatoes to accent healthy meals like veggie burgers and salads, crispy baked fish, or as a topping for soup. Think of them as a healthy version of French fries without the trans fats and vegetable oils that harm your health.
Mackerel is one of the least expensive fresh fish you can purchase. It has a hearty flavor and meaty texture. This healthy food also features high levels of omega-3s. Sauté for an easy recipe that makes a quick dinner when you add a spinach salad and a side of quinoa.
Rosemary-Garlic Chicken Breast
Healthy cooking tip: Be careful when preparing healthy recipes including garlic. Although they’re incredibly good for you, most people find burnt garlic to have a very unpleasant flavor. If you keep this in mind, this healthy dish can still entice romance.
Advertisement
Make cheesecake for your non-dairy or vegan friends and benefit from the protein too. Tofu mimics the creamy texture of cream cheese. File this one among your healthy recipes for a show-stopping dessert. Don’t worry though, it’s also easy to make.
Also read:
Mohan Garikiparithi got his degree in medicine from Osmania University (University of Health Sciences). He practiced clinical medicine for over a decade before he shifted his focus to the field of health communications. During his active practice he served as the head of the Dept. of Microbiology in a diagnostic centre in India. On a three-year communications program in Germany, Mohan developed a keen interest in German Medicine (Homoeopathy), and other alternative systems of medicine. He now advocates treating different medical conditions without the use of traditional drugs. An ardent squash player, Mohan believes in the importance of fitness and wellness.
