Heart Health Month & Simple Ways to Add Avocados

February is National Heart Health Month!

Heart Disease prevention is important

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.ⁱ
About 600,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year–that’s 1 in every 4 deaths.ⁱ
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 81.1 million Americans—37 percent of the population—have cardiovascular disease. Major risk factors include high levels of blood cholesterol and other lipids, type 2 diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), metabolic syndrome, overweight and obesity, physical inactivity, and tobacco use.

What You Can Do

According to the CDC regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, limiting alcohol use and eating a healthy diet can help.
Choosing healthful meal and snack options can help you avoid heart disease and its complications. Be sure to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Eating foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol and high in fiber can help prevent high blood cholesterol. Limiting salt or sodium in your diet can also lower your blood pressure.

Really, Dietary Fiber

Diets rich in foods containing fiber, such as some vegetables and fruits, may reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. In fact, dietary fiber from fruits, as part of an overall healthy diet, helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease
For more information on healthy diet and nutrition, see CDC’s Nutrition and Physical Activity Program WebsiteThe Dietary Guidelines for Americans agrees with the replacement of fats. According to the Dietary Guidelines, replacing saturated fats or trans fats with unsaturated fats can reduce bad cholesterol levels in your blood.

How Avocados Can Help

As a replacement for saturated or trans fats
Avocados contain naturally good fats and are cholesterol free. Over 75% of the fat in an avocado is unsaturated, making it a great substitute for foods high in saturated fats
As a cholesterol-free fresh fruit with dietary fiber
Avocados are a fresh fruit that provides good source of fiber, they contain 11% of your daily recommended value of fiber per 50g serving

Simple Ways to Add Avocados

You should always consult your physician or dietitian before starting a new diet but here are some simple ways to add avocados as part of your diet for any time of day.