![]() "These provide more energy and starch with the fiber," she said, "but they can be an excellent choice especially for kids, who have higher energy needs for growth and development."įor anyone looking to drastically cut carbs, she recommends shirataki noodles, made from a plant called konjac, a tuber-like root vegetable that grows in Southeast Asia. For those who prefer a starchier mouth feel, she suggests trying replacements made from chickpeas or lentils. Thinly sliced zucchini or eggplant can also make a great substitute for lasagna noodles, Groppo said. In fact, some recipes recommend baking zucchini or carrot spirals in the oven, rather than boiling them, to avoid making them too watery. ![]() Carrot spiral strips are also a tasty noodle replacement, Groppo said, "but you just want to be careful not to overcook them." Zucchini noodles, also called "zoodles," are available in most supermarkets or can be made at home with a spiralizer - a kitchen gadget that cuts veggies into long, thin strips. Thanks to a variety of noodle alternatives, avoiding simple carbs doesn't have to mean giving up pasta-style dishes. Some great options for reducing simple carbs include eating oatmeal instead of processed cereals, using brown rice instead of white or trying recipes with almond flour, as seen in the banana-almond muffin recipe below. "The food companies did all the processing that your body should have had to do."Įating too many processed carbohydrates can raise blood sugar and lead to type 2 diabetes, which doubles your risk of cardiovascular disease. "You can think of a processed grain as almost like a pre-digested food," Groppo said. It acts a bit like a scrubbing brush for the digestive system and can help lower LDL (the bad kind of cholesterol) and triglycerides, which are both risk factors for heart disease when too high. The bottom line is, you want more fiber - the part of a plant food that's harder to digest. For instance, try swapping in roasted carrot sticks instead of French fries, or use lettuce instead of tortillas or hamburger buns to wrap tacos or burgers. Complicate your carbsĪnother heart-healthy swap is trading simple carbohydrates, such as white bread, pasta, or potatoes, for veggie-based alternatives with more fiber. Or try the simple, five-ingredient bean burger recipe at the bottom of this story. Instead of using ground beef as taco filling, Groppo suggests mixing low-sodium taco seasoning into cooked lentils or diced extra-firm tofu, along with sauteed garlic and onions.įor burgers, try grilling a portobello mushroom marinated in balsamic vinegar, plus a splash of low-sodium soy sauce. Tofu, beans and lentils are all heart-healthy options that can substitute for meat in your favorite dishes. "Ask yourself, when you look at the food, do you know what it is? If you can say, 'Those are pieces of zucchini,' 'That's a bean,' or 'That's a vegetable,' then you know it's a go-to food." But Groppo said the best plant-based choices for your heart resemble whole, natural foods. Today's supermarkets are filled with meat alternatives, including frozen veggie burgers, plant-based chicken-like nuggets, soy-crumble taco filling, and even tofu turkey for Thanksgiving. Because plants don't have cholesterol in their cell walls, plant-based foods are naturally cholesterol-free and, with a few exceptions, also lower in saturated fat and sodium. Plant-based foods are healthier, Groppo said, because they contain phytochemicals, or plant compounds that help the body heal and repair itself. "For cardiovascular health, you're really looking to consume less animal fat and animal protein," said Stanford Health Care dietitian Leah Groppo, "and more fiber and whole, unprocessed foods." It can be as easy as opting for some simple food substitutions, which can make a big difference to the health of your heart. Adopting a healthier diet doesn't always mean drastic, sweeping changes.
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