Top 10 Heart Healthy Snacks

Snacks get a bad rap for being “junk” food. And most processed snacks fit the bill! But some snacks can actually lower your blood pressure and cholesterol and decrease your risk of heart disease.  I’d like to share some of my favorite heart smart snacks. Check out my article that appeared on the Gnu Bar website.

When searching for heart smart snacks, choose foods that are:

– Low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Saturated fats have been shown to raise LDL “bad” cholesterol. Instead, choose foods containing heart healthy fats including monounsaturated fats (found in olive oil, nuts and avocado) and polyunsaturated fats (found in nuts, seeds and flaxseeds)

– High in fiber. Fiber, especially soluble fiber can help to lower cholesterol.

– Good sources of potassium, calcium and magnesium. Research has that foods rich in these nutrients, found in the DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), can lower blood pressure.

– Low in sodium.

– Low in added sugar.

– Rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants are found in many fruits, vegetables and whole grains. They have numerous health benefits, including keeping blood vessels healthy.

– Some studies have suggested that soy protein may play a role in lowering risk of heart disease when substituted for foods high in saturated fat.

– Contain phytosterols (plant sterols and stanols). Phytosterols are naturally occurring compounds found in small amounts in vegetable oil, nuts, legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Because phytosterols are structurally similar to the body’s cholesterol, when they are consumed they compete with cholesterol for absorption in the digestive system. As a result, cholesterol absorption is blocked, and blood cholesterol levels reduced. Certain snack foods are enriched with phytosterols.

Heart Smart snacks for 175 calories or less
1. Medium apple and peanut butter, 2 tsp.  (150 calories and 6 gm fat)
*The soluble fiber in apples and heart healthy fat in peanut butter may help lower cholesterol (pic above: collegelifestyles.org)

2. 15 almonds and 8 dried apricots (175 calories and 9 gm fat)
* Almonds contain heart healthy unsaturated fats and are a good source of fiber, magnesium and potassium. The dried apricots are also a good source of fiber, potassium. But keep your portions in check as the calories from nuts and dried fruit add up quickly!

3. 49 pistachio nuts, 1 oz (160 calories and 13 gm fat)
|*Pistachios contain fiber and heart healthy fats. You also get to eat 49 of them for one portion. Try the ones in the shell as they take longer to eat! Look for unsalted nuts.

4. Edemame, 1 ½  cups in the pod (155 calories and 3 gm fat)
*The potassium and magnesium will lower blood pressure, where the soy protein and fiber may help lower cholesterol (pic: lafujimama.com)

5. Smoothie made from 8 oz soy milk (or non fat/1% fat milk) and 1 ½ cups strawberries (160 calories and 4 gm fat)
* The soy milk contains soy protein and calcium (assuming it is fortified) and the strawberries contain fiber and antioxidants.

6. 4 T. hummus and 1 ½ cups baby carrots (190 calories and 5 gm fat)
* Hummus contains soluble fiber, monounsaturated fat and potassium which may lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Carrots contain fiber and antioxidants.

7. 10 Baked tortilla chips (3/4 oz) with 3 tablespoons of guacamole (165 calories and 10 gm fat)
*Avocados contain heart healthy unsaturated fats, fiber and potassium which can may cholesterol and blood pressure.

8. Non fat yogurt, 1T. ground flaxseed and ½ cup blueberries.
*The calcium in the yogurt, fiber and heart healthy fat in the flaxseeds and fiber and antioxidants in the blueberries make this a “triple heart smart” snack!

9. Dark chocolate, one ounce (150 calories and 9 gm fat)
*The antioxidants in dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol.  Choose dark chocolate consisting of at least 70 percent cocoa – and be careful to watch your portion size as the calories add up quickly!

10. If you are looking a sweet or salty treats (on occasion!), look for snacks fortified with phytosterols. But keep in mind many of these snacks tend to be processed and high in calories, so keep portions moderate.

11. When you need a quick, convenient snack on the run, look for an energy bar that contains at least 3 grams of fiber (preferably more), less than 15 grams of sugar, no trans fat, less than 2 grams of saturated fat and 200 calories or less.

References:
American Heart Association http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/
Portfolio diet http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/portfolio-beats-low-fat-diet-for-lowering-cholesterol-201108263248  http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/portfolio-beats-low-fat-diet-for-lowering-cholesterol-201108263248
Dash diet   http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf