Heart Healthy Foods for the Holidays

Thanksgiving is just a week away and before you know it Christmas will be here. While we gear up for the holiday season amid such uncertain times it’s more important than ever to stay healthy during the holidays. Eating foods high in salt or sugar, lack of exercise and the stress of a pandemic could easily result in a spike of hospital admissions for those who suffer from illnesses such as congestive heart failure, heart disease and diabetes. 
This year follow these tips and tricks to swap out some of your recipes with some heart healthy alternatives.

• Look specifically for low-sodium broths for stuffing’s and soups
  
• Instead of using store-bought stuffing, which is typically very high in sodium, opt to make your own cornbread stuffing so you can control how much salt is added
  
• Swap out the green bean casserole this year with a colorful, fresh side salad like this one Holiday Honeycrisp Salad
  
• Purchase only plain fresh or frozen vegetables, many of the frozen varieties with sauce come with added fats and salts
  
• Grill, Steam or Bake your regularly fried vegetables and season with herbs and pepper
  
• Double check your poultry seasoning, many combination spices contain a surprising amount of salt
  
• Cut the fat content of your turkey in half by enjoying it without the skin
  
• Opt for white turkey meat over the dark meat, which is the fatty part of the turkey
  
• Replace the typical artichoke and cheese dips with heart healthy hummus or yogurt veggie dip
  
• Make mashed potatoes with light, low fat or skim versions of your typical dairy items
  
• Replace sour cream with Greek yogurt in your recipes
  
• If making a cheese board, opt for lighter cheeses such as goat cheese or feta. You can also add fresh fruits and veggies (such as grapes and green peppers) instead of crackers and bread.
  
• Swap out equal parts no-sugar-added applesauce for butter in your baking recipes
  
• Store bought cranberry sauces contains lots of added sugar. Swap it out by making your own so you can control the amount of sugar added
  
• Sweeten pies and cakes with natural sugars such as honey or maple syrup instead of processed sugars such as white table sugar
  
• Swap out the high in fat fruit cake with gingerbread. 
  
• Stay hydrated. With so many high sodium items on the menu, it’s important to drink enough water during and after your meal.
  
• Don’t forget everything in moderation. Try and remind yourself that many of the food items available during the holidays are also available throughout the year. This will prevent overindulgence of options such as mashed potatoes.
  

If your prone to snacking while preparing your holiday feast, you are not alone. Many families have appetizers or snacks throughout the day in anticipation of the main dinner event. When planning your pre-dinner snacks try and keep health in mind. Easy, healthy snacks include nuts, fresh fruits, veggies with healthy dips such as yogurt and hummus.
Along with being mindful of the ingredients in our Thanksgiving meal it is also important to eat mindfully. Now more than ever we have been forced to slow down. This is especially important when enjoying our meals. Eating slowly helps avoid overeating since it takes a few minutes for your stomach to communicate to your brain that you are full. A good rule of thumb is to take a 10 minutes break before reaching for seconds. An extra added perk of slowing down is that it can help us appreciate the flavors, food and company we are thankful for.
Exercising and eating right help keep our heart, body and mind healthy. You and your loved ones can stay active on such food filled days by opting for an evening stroll instead of a couch session right before or after eating your delicious holiday meal. Exercising can aid in digestion and can help keep you full longer (which means you’ll be less likely to indulge in a midnight snack after your holiday feast).
Staying healthy during the holidays includes eating healthy but it also includes remembering what the holidays are about. Spending time with loved ones and showing appreciation and gratitude towards those most important to us are equally important. While we are all celebrating a little differently this year, it doesn’t take a big gesture to remind someone how thankful you are for them. Call, text, email or video call those you are unable to celebrate with in person this year and spread the holiday cheer!

For more articles just like this, check out our regular blog posts.