Winter Warmers, Heart Research UK

Main Category: Cardiovascular / Cardiology
Also Included In: Heart Disease;  Public Health;  Nutrition / Diet
Article Date: 05 Nov 2008 - 2:00 PST

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There's a chill in the air and it's time to dig out those gloves, scarves and woolly hats again. Another way to keep warm is to drink plenty of hot beverages and fill up on some heart-warming meals that are great for your heart's health.

Pasta is always a winner in winter and is ready in no time. Throw in some frozen vegetables as the pasta cooks to add colour to your dish, contribute to your five-a-day, while boosting the antioxidant, vitamin and mineral content. Tomatoes are a rich source of lycopene, a great antioxidant, so make a rich tomato base flavoured with herbs. Try avocado chunks, full of heart-friendly monounsaturated fat, with your penne pasta, or use some cholesterol-lowering soya mince and fibre-rich pulses in your Bolognese sauce.

Spicy food will soon give you a warm glow, so coat your jacket potato with a spicy vegetable and mixed bean chilli or a low-fat chicken curry sauce.

Throw together some leftover vegetables such as potatoes, onions, carrots, broccoli and parsnips to make some tasty soup. Pumpkin, squashes, sweet potatoes and red lentils also make a nutritious base for soup. Remember to use herbs as a flavouring and to keep the soup low in salt, which is good for a healthy blood pressure.

To help you fight off the chill mid-afternoon, have some toast topped with tinned mackerel or sardines in tomato sauce, as they're high in omega 3 which is good for your heart.

Moving keeps you warm, so take a break and stretch your legs, walk up and down the stairs or do a little housework. Doing some arm and leg exercises while sat down will also get that heart pumping a bit faster and help to warm you up.

Comfort food is the way forward when the cold weather closes in, but don't let this hold you back from keeping your heart healthy.

Heart Research UK