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Nutrition – American Heart Month 

Many people know that Valentine’s Day is in February, but February is also American Heart Month. While it is essential for everyone to take care of their heart all year long, this month is about raising awareness about the disease. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the leading cause of heart disease. High blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack and stroke, but it can be prevented or managed by making healthy food choices, staying active, and managing stress. 

Decreasing the amount of salt intake is a good place to start when adjusting your diet for heart health. Excess salt, or sodium, in the blood can cause tissues to swell and retain water, which makes it harder for the heart to pump blood through the small veins and arteries. When the heart must work harder, the blood pressure increases. If the heart is always working harder than it should, it will become so weak that it cannot pump enough blood for the body, which is heart failure.  

There are two simple ways to decrease the salt in your diet, and both could make a significant difference in your health! 

  1. Put the salt-shaker away. The recommended daily salt intake is 2300mg or less, per day. This is the equivalent to 1 tsp of salt. If you are skeptical about making this change, commit to tasting your food first before adding salt, as this could at least reduce how often you use it. 

Beware of one of the most common salt myths which is that sea salt is better for you than table salt. Even though sea salt is popular and used often because it has a more aesthetically appealing sprinkle,  it still contains 40% sodium just like table salt. 

  1. Read food labels. Any type of food that is packaged in a bag, a box, a bottle, or a can is likely to have some added salt for preserving. However, you can watch for words like “no salt added” or “low sodium” on the packaging to find those foods that have much less than normal. Look for foods that have 140 mg of sodium or less per serving. Choose fresh foods as often as possible. 

You may think you do not eat too much salt because you do not choose salty foods, but sodium is found in many mixed dishes, bread, soups, and can even be added to sweet foods for preservation.  

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) recommends the DASH diet. Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) is an evidenced-based and effective eating plan to manage the health of your heart. DASH focuses on fruits, vegetables, and fiber-containing foods, while limiting saturated fat and added sugar. You can find an abundance of heart healthy recipes and other resources on the NHLBI website.  

One of those recipes is featured below: 

Tuscan Beans with Tomatoes and Oregano 

Prep time: 15 minutes. 

Servings: 4  

Ingredients  

  • 1 can (15 ½ oz) low-sodium or no salt added chickpeas, drained and rinsed 
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, rinsed and halved 
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil 
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar 
  • 2 Tbsp fresh oregano, minced (or 1 tsp dried) 
  • 1/8 tsp ground black pepper 
  • ½ tsp salt-free seasoning blend 
  • 4 whole inner leaves of romaine lettuce, rinsed and dried 

Directions  

  1. In a large salad bowl, combine beans and tomatoes. 
  1. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, oregano, pepper, and salt-free seasoning blend. Using a wire whisk, beat the ingredients until they bled into one thick sauce at the point where the oil and vinegar no longer separate. 
  1. Pour the dressing over the beans and tomatoes and mix gently to coat. 
  1. Line four salad bowls with one romaine lettuce leaf each. 
  1. Top each leaf with one-fourth of the bean mixture and serve. 

Nutrition  

Serving size: ¼ salad and 1 lettuce leaf 

Total Calories 265 

Total Fat 10 g fat   

Saturated Fat 1 g   

Cholesterol 0 mg   

Sodium 116 mg   

Carbohydrates 35 g   

Total Sugars 0 g  

Dietary Fiber 10 g   

Protein 12 g 

Potassium 731 mg