5 Heart Healthy Food Tips to Love  

With a diagnosis of chronic heart disease comes a whole list of food restrictions. No more well-marbled red meat. Get rid of the ice cream after dinner. Watch out for those inflammatory or high glycemic carbs. And now there's a national debate on whether the government should regulate the salt shaker.

It can be frustrating to look at this list of restrictions and try to adjust to them. But in addition to the long "No" list, there's a welcome "Yes" list. 

In fact, as you start to change your diet for your heart, you may discover foods that aren't just good for youyou'll actually love to eat them! Here's a list of powerful, heart healthy food tips that also bring eating pleasure.

Heart Healthy Food Tip #1: Eat Salmon

There is nothing quite like a poached salmon filet with a nice citrus marinade and tarragon on it. Not only can this make the ultimate summer meal, but it gives your heart a nice supply of heart healthy omega-3 essential fatty acids.

Light as a mealbut nutritionally, it's a heavy lifter. A recent Swedish study of women who didn't ordinarily eat fish reported that adding just one portion of omega-3-rich fish (like salmon) weekly reduced heart disease risk by as much as 14%. If they added a second portion each week, their heart disease risk decreased as much as 30%!

If you're not much of a seafood eater, you may find salmon's milder, almost creamy flavor is quite a nice addition to your menu. Besides enjoying a nice filet, canned salmon makes a healthier alternative to canned tuna. Just be sure and rinse it a few times with cool water to reduce the sodium in it.

Also be careful not to get too much of a good thing. Even these heart healthy fish can carry traces of heavy metals from polluted water. And farm-raised salmon may have artificial coloring. Buy "wild caught" when possible, and limit to just a few servings per week in your diet. You may want to consider taking an omega-3 supplement to help you get more of the great benefits that eating salmon can offer.

Heart Healthy Food Tip #2: Add Beans

"Eat your beans!" your mom said. And she was right!

Not only are beans an economical source of protein, they're also an effective heart defender.

One of the top indicators of heart disease risk is high blood levels of an amino acid called homocysteine. High homocysteine levels have been linked to arterial wall damage and increased risk of blood clots.

Homocysteine is produced when protein is broken down and in turn is used to produce other amino acids. However, it can only finish its transformation with adequate levels of B vitamins, specifically folate, B6, and B12. Without these transformers, homocysteine levels can reach an unhealthy high.

Beans supply these important vitamins by the bucketful. They also give you a nice dose of heart healthy fiber. So bring your meat consumption down a notch and replace it with a nice scoop of beans. 

Heart Healthy Food Tip #3: Enjoy Cranberries

You've probably heard about the heart healthy benefits of flavonoids those beautiful pigments that give fruits and vegetables their rich, dark colors. These special antioxidant compounds may help reduce inflammation, a key component in heart disease.

When it comes to antioxidant protection for your heart, cranberries seem to be pulling ahead. It turns out that a specific compound found in cranberries, oligomeric procyanidins (OPC), has potent effects for supporting cardiovascular health. OPC seems to help with the function of the cells lining your blood vessels.

So toss a handful of cranberries on your salad or complement your chicken. (You don't have to wait for Thanksgiving!) Enjoy the tangy flavor and the nice healthy bang they give your heart.

Note: Many cranberry "cocktail" juices contain lots of sugar. And dried cranberries can also contain added sugar. Fresh or frozen cranberries have no added sugar and provide an additional source of fiber-which is also heart healthy.

Heart Healthy Food Tip #4: Go Nuts

Want to add a little rich flavor to your food? Go nuts! Add some chopped nuts and seeds to your salads, stir fries, yogurt, or just eat a handful as a snack. Nuts bring a rich flavor to any dish.

But best of all, they bring good things to your heart as well.

A recent review of 25 studies conducted out of Linda Loma University found that eating an average of 2.4 ounces of nuts every day lowered cholesterol. Total cholesterol went down by 5%, LDL (the not-so-good kind) went down by 7% and the ratio between HDL ("good") cholesterol and LDL cholesterol also improved.

The heart healthy benefits of nuts seem to be linked to their fiber, vegetable protein, unsaturated fats, and a healthy plant form of cholesterol called phytosterols (which "latch on" to animal cholesterol we eat and help clear it from our bodies). Pistachios and sesame seeds rank particularly high in phytosterols.

An added bonus: Nuts can be quite filling and help you control your appetite. In fact, some research indicates that almonds may even affect the hormones that cause hunger. So not only can nuts help you keep the fats in check in your bloodstream, they can also help you whittle down your waistline.

Heart Healthy Food Tip #5: Spice it Up 

When you close the door to excessive salt, you open the door to a whole new world of wonderful flavors. Vinegars, mushrooms, herbs, and spices can all perk up a dish and titillate your taste buds in new ways-without adding a lot of calories or fat.

Not only that, they can add some zestfulness to your heart.

     Garlic may help manage blood pressure. It can also help reduce LDL cholesterol. So can coriander/cilantro, ginger, and capers.

     Clove and onion may help keep your blood flowing like it should. 

      Mustard seed and horseradish may help lower homocysteine levels.

      And turmeric, oregano, rosemary, and thyme have anti-inflammatory properties.

Spices offer a super heart healthy alternative to salt, and many also help regulate blood sugar. So try them on fish, chicken, or steamed veggies. 

Explore different exotic spices and consider it a free trip to Morocco or India via your plate! Your taste buds and heart may enjoy the change of scenery.