Choose plant proteins more often for a healthy heart…

 When you are deciding what to have for a meal, does it occur to you to use beans or lentils? How about tofu or soy products or even nuts? If not, read on and hopefully you will be inspired to include these wonderful foods regularly in your diet.

Most of us are aware that heart disease is a common killer in North America. So, instead of being a statistic, let’s make some changes to protect ourselves against it! Among other things, an important change to make is to include a vegetarian protein source (tofu, soy products, beans, lentils, split peas, nuts) a few times/week in place of an animal protein source. For example, use extra firm tofu in your stir-fry instead of beef. Tip: sauté cubed tofu in soy sauce and garlic before using to increase flavor. The main benefit of using plant proteins is that you are eating unsaturated fats (healthy fats) instead of saturated fats (unhealthy fats that can raise cholesterol levels in your blood). Saturated fats mainly come from animal products…so limiting their use, taking the skin off your chicken and cutting away visible fats from meats will decrease your intake of these unhealthy fats. One study found that consumption of soy protein resulted in a significant reduction in LDL cholesterol. Another study found that those that ate beans most frequently had lower blood pressure and lower total cholesterol and were much less likely to be diagnosed with diabetes. In addition to keeping your heart healthy, these foods have also been linked to a reduced cancer risk. Convinced yet? Here are some ideas to get you started…

Use Yves veggie ground round in your pasta or chili instead of ground beef

• Puree medium firm tofu or cooked lentils into your pasta sauce
• Make a bean salad from canned mixed beans packed in water (rinse beans first)
• Mash canned black beans with onions and garlic and use in a burrito
• Make a bean and vegetable soup from scratch
• Make hummus (chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, plain yogurt and cumin) and enjoy with sliced vegetables
• Make a large salad for dinner – top with roasted sunflower seeds or walnuts
• Have a small handful of nuts for a mid-afternoon snack

Start by making a goal to use these foods at least 1 time/week. Then, try to increase this to 3-4 times/week. You’ll realize they are easy to prepare and taste delicious! Good luck!

f you have any questions regarding this article or would like to book an appointment for a nutrition consultation, please call Asia Peters directly at 604.722.8485.