Maybe heart disease runs in your family, or you’ve recently been told you have high cholesterol. Or perhaps you or a loved one recently suffered a heart attack and are now trying to eat healthier. Whatever the reason is, you’ve found yourself here looking for heart-healthy dinner recipes you can try.
According to the U.S. Department of Health, some of the foods you’ll want to incorporate into a diet that is good for your heart are fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, lean proteins, and healthy fats (like omega-3s).
They also recommend you significantly lower your consumption of saturated fats, which are usually found in high-fat dairy, red meat, processed meats, and high-sodium items like processed and packaged foods.
“A heart-healthy dinner will have some specific components to it, like being low in saturated fat, full of colorful vegetables, lower in sodium, and has a source of lean protein,” says Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, registered dietitian and author of The First Time Mom’s Pregnancy Cookbook and Fueling Male Fertility. “Including foods that are sources of potassium, calcium, and magnesium may offer some benefit as well.”
To help you get started with some heart-healthy eating, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite healthy dinner recipes that meet these guidelines. And for more healthy heart tips, check out The Best Foods to Eat For Your Heart.
1
Mediterranean Rice Bowl With Rotisserie Chicken
The Mediterranean diet has been found to have cardioprotective effects because of its inclusion of whole grains, vegetables, and healthy fats, as well as its limited amount of added sugars and processed foods.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
This Mediterranean-inspired meal is a great heart-healthy dinner because you’ll get a boost of lean protein, a variety of vegetables, fiber from the rice, and healthy fat from the olive oil.
Get our recipe for Mediterranean Rice Bowl.
2
Grilled Chicken and Avocado Salad
As Manaker mentioned, eating plenty of vegetables is crucial for your heart and for getting enough vital nutrients, and many Americans aren’t getting nearly enough on a daily basis. This chicken and avocado salad not only gives you plenty of protein and healthy fat, but the serving of arugula can give you a small boost of vitamin C, potassium, and folate as well.
Get our recipe for Grilled Chicken and Avocado Salad.
