Oh, yes. There’s more to February than an abundance of chocolate. It is also National Heart Month, so here are several things we can do that may protect our hearts.

Get nutty! “Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.” This chart has a really clear break down of the nutrients in one ounce of tree nuts and peanuts. So eat a handful of nuts today!

Color your meals healthy. Eating lots of colorful fruits and vegetables is good for your overall health and may help protect against heart disease. Personally, I think that laughing at colorful fruits and vegetables may help too. Have a look for yourself.

Go with whole grains. “Diets rich in whole-grain foods and other plant foods and low in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol, may help reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.” Make sure to eat foods with 51 percent or more whole grain ingredients. (such as wheat or oats)

Jump on the bean bandwagon. Which bean is your thing? There’s garbanzo beans, black beans, red beans, navy beans, pinto beans…should I go on? All these beans and more provide soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. As part of a low-saturated fat, low-cholesterol diet, they may be helpful for your heart. They’re also a great source of folate, another nutrient that may help your heart.

So in honor of National Heart Month, skip that piece of white bread and have wheat. Eats plenty of fruits and vegetables. At snacktime have a handful of nuts and of course, don’t forget to eat plenty of beans.

Tags: blog, National Heart Month

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