Heart Healthy Holidays

Tis’ the season for office cookie trays, after work gatherings and holiday parties! However, the holidays don’t have to tip the scales or your blood pressure in the wrong direction. Enjoy the holiday season while keeping these heart healthy tips in mind.

Check the salt. Bread, rolls, poultry and canned ingredients are some of the top sodium culprits. When grocery shopping for your holiday meals, compare the sodium content on the nutrition label using the % Daily Value column. Look for products labeled low in sodium or reduced sodium. You can rinse away excess sodium in canned goods by straining with water in a colander.

Mind the bird. Opt for lighter pieces of poultry and skip the skin to cut calories and saturated fat. When plating, keep in mind that a portion of meat is three ounces, roughly the size of a deck of cards. Before reaching for seconds, fill up on a serving of roasted veggies or salad.

Go light on the casserole. That holiday vegetable casserole is not so innocent. Let’s be honest, green beans don’t taste like green bean casserole and maintain the same nutritional benefits. One cup of standard green bean casserole contains 200 calories and 11 grams of fat. Make your own healthier version using milk instead of cream and spices in place of salt.

Make veggies shine. Veggies do not have to be the boring side dish that everyone skips over. Roasting vegetables caramelizes natural sugars and accentuates their delicious flavor. Roast winter root vegetables with rosemary, thyme and olive oil, winter squash with cinnamon and a dash of maple syrup, or carrots with cardamom and ginger.

Be selective with sweets. Savor a few bites of your favorite desserts and stop there. Add sweetness without the calories by using extracts like vanilla, almond or peppermint, or spices such as cinnamon or cloves.

Sip wisely. Both hot chocolate and eggnog fly off the shelves this time of year -- but beware of the sky high sugar and fat content in these beverages. Just one half cup serving of standard eggnog contains 160 calories, 8.5 grams of fat and 18 grams of sugar. Opt for the low-fat version to save 40 calories and 6 grams of fat per serving. For a lighter treat, try making your own cocoa using a low-sugar recipe.

Bottom Line: This season, savor your favorite holiday dishes while keeping heart healthy modifications in mind. Before adding items to your grocery cart, take a good look at the nutrition facts panel. Compare products and leave behind those that are noticeably high in sodium, salt or saturated fat.

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