Foods Seniors Should Choose or Exclude for Better Heart Health

Food serves as fuel for our bodies and minds, and it is one of the most crucial elements of life for everyone. However, there are foods seniors should choose or exclude for better heart health.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says, “Heart-healthy eating involves choosing certain foods, such as fruits and vegetables, while limiting others, such as saturatedfats and added sugars.”

To create the foundation for better heart health, seniors should stay mindful of the foods they purchase and consume, which is why Damey and I created these lists to make life easier and heart healthier.

Foods to Choose

• Vegetables – leafy greens like spinach and collard greens, kale, cabbage, broccoli, and carrots
• Fruits – apples, bananas, oranges, pears, grapes, and prunes
• Whole Grains – plain oatmeal, brown rice, whole grain bread and tortillas
• Fat-free or low-fat dairy – milk, cheese, yogurt
• Protein-rich foods – fish like salmon and trout (high in omega-3 fatty acids), lean meats like 95% lean ground beef, pork tenderloin, skinless chicken and turkey, eggs, nuts, seeds, and soy products (tofu), legumes like kidney beans, lentils, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, lima beans
• Oils and foods high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats – canola, corn, olive, safflower, sesame, sunflower, and soybean oils (not coconut or palm oil); nuts like walnuts, almonds, and pine nuts; nut and seed butters; salmon and trout; seeds like sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, and flax; avocados, tofu

Damey and I always try to eat a healthy diet, but there are foods we love, like bacon and buttered popcorn, that we must consciously limit or avoid. This is an extensive list provided by the Mayo Clinic, and you will probably notice foods you love, too, that should prompt a cause to pause.

Foods to Exclude

• Coconut
• Vegetables with cream sauces
• Fried or breaded vegetables
• Canned fruit packed in heavy syrup
• Frozen fruit with sugar added
• Full-fat milk and other dairy products
• Organ meats, such as liver
• Fatty and marbled meats
• Spareribs
• Hot dogs and sausages
• Bacon
• Fried or breaded meats
• Table salt
• Canned Soups and prepared foods, such as frozen meals
• Tomato juice
• Condiments such as ketchup, mayonnaise, and soy sauce
• Restaurant meals
• Butter
• Lard
• Bacon fat
• Gravy
• Cream sauces
• Nondairy creamers
• Hydrogenated margarine and shortening
• Cocoa butter, found in chocolate
• Coconut, palm, cottonseed, and palm kernel oils
• White, refined flour
• White bread
• Muffins
• Frozen waffles
• Cornbread
• Doughnuts
• Biscuits
• Quick breads
• Cakes
• Pies
• Egg noodles
• Buttered popcorn
• High-fat snack crackers