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Menus for heart-healthy eating: Cut the fat and salt Heart-healthy eating doesn't have to be difficult. Use these menus to get started on a heart-healthy diet. By Mayo Clinic Staff

Do you want to adopt a heart-healthy diet, but aren't sure where to start? One way to begin is to create a daily meal plan that emphasizes vegetables, fruits and whole grains and limits high-fat foods (such as red meat, cheese and baked goods) and high-sodium foods (such as canned or processed foods).

Below are two days' worth of heart-healthy menus. Use them as examples of heart-healthy eating.

Day 1 menu

Breakfast

1 cup cooked oatmeal, sprinkled with 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts and 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 banana

1 cup skim milk

Lunch

1 cup low-fat (1 percent or lower), plain yogurt with 1 teaspoon ground flaxseed

1/2 cup peach halves, canned in juice

5 Melba toast crackers

1 cup raw broccoli and cauliflower

2 tablespoons low-fat cream cheese, plain or vegetable flavor (as a spread for crackers or vegetable dip)

Sparkling water

Dinner

4 ounces salmon

1/2 cup green beans with 1 tablespoon toasted almonds

2 cups mixed salad greens

2 tablespoons low-fat salad dressing

1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

1 cup skim milk

1 small orange

Snack

1 cup skim milk

9 animal crackers

Day 1 nutrient analysis Calories 1,562 Total fat 45 g Saturated fat 10 g Monounsaturated fat 15 g Polyunsaturated fat 16 g Cholesterol 126 mg Sodium 1,257 mg Total carbohydrate 207 g Dietary fiber 24 g Protein 92 g

Day 2 menu

Breakfast

1 cup plain, low-fat yogurt, topped with 3/4 cup blueberries

3/4 cup calcium-fortified orange juice

Lunch

1 whole-wheat pita stuffed with 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce, 1/2 cup sliced tomatoes, 1/4 cup sliced cucumbers, 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese and 1 tablespoon reduced-fat ranch dressing

1 kiwi

1 cup skim milk

Dinner

Chicken stir-fry (3 ounces) with eggplant (1 cup) and basil

1 cup brown rice with 1 tablespoon chopped dried apricots

1 cup steamed broccoli

4 ounces red wine or concord grape juice

Snack

2 tablespoons mixed, unsalted nuts

1 cup fat-free frozen yogurt

Day 2 nutrient analysis Calories 1,605 Total fat 30 g Saturated fat 10 g Monounsaturated fat 10 g Polyunsaturated fat 6 g Cholesterol 126 mg Sodium 1,264 mg Total carbohydrate 242 g Dietary fiber 24 g Protein 83 g

On both days, if you're thirsty, drink water as a calorie-free way to hydrate.



