February is the perfect month to think about how you can support a heart healthy lifestyle for you and your family. Here are three suggestions from Nevada’s Rethink Your Drink team:
- Replace whole milk with fat-free and low-fat milk. This simple swap can reduce the intake of saturated fat and make room for foods with healthy fats like nuts, seeds, and fish.
- Limit sugary drinks such as soda; sports, energy, and fruit-flavored drinks; and sweetened water, tea, and coffee. Most people consume too much added sugar with drinks being a significant source.
- Get your family in the habit of drinking water throughout the day. Without adequate hydration, the heart has to work harder to pump blood through the body.
Making healthy drink choices is one way to reduce the risk of heart disease – and it is never too early (or too late) to start. Show your family and friends how much you care for them this Valentine’s Day with one of these refreshing drinks: Very Berrymilk, Citrus Cherry Delight or Mandarin Berry Press.
For more information about heart disease, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Heart Association.
This article was written Jamie Benedict, Ph.D, R.D.N, L.D. If you have a suggestion for a topic for the Insider, write to rethinkyourdrinknevada@unr.edu and receive a free, healthy drink recipe book.
