diet help

[Tomorrow]

having just being told I have this condition, I am trying to start eating healthier but everything has so much salt,sodium,sugar etc …….anyone know some good tasty foods I can try please?

[RufusScamp]

The obvious thing is not to eat ultra-processed food, and try to avoid ready meals. Herbs and spices are useful to add flavour without salt. The "Mediterranean" diet is a good one for flavour, but healthy ingredients.

If time is a problem, frozen fruit and veg are good for quick cooking, and should not have added sugar or salt. Tinned food is trickier because of what it is packed in.

The BHF website has lots of useful ideas.

[Tomorrow in reply to RufusScamp]

Yeah I suppose all the normal foods for a balanced diet….but all so bland… will have to find some good recipes. Do you know any brands that cater for these type of diets?

[Raylpa in reply to Tomorrow]

Brands? Forgive me for being blunt, Whole food has no brand!! Hole cooked food has no brands and these elements are the key to a heart healthy diet. To quote my cardiologist if it’s in a box or a can it’s almost certainly not good for you, obviously there are many exceptions such as porridge tinned veg or fruit so long as their not sweetened. Since moving to a largely plant based whole food diet (plus chicken and fish) I have enjoyed my meals more than ever. Good look on the journey.

[Tomorrow in reply to Raylpa]

Thank you. Yes..... I think plant based might be the way forward, been reading up on them. But are they branded? What should I look out for... its a whole new world to me!

[Raylpa in reply to Tomorrow]

I think many of the previous replies contain all the info you need to change your meals to the whole food path. My first act was to stop buying microwave meals and cook from fresh, so for example I used to buy a ‘fish pie’ in a box and ping ping it 😞 now I would have a piece of fish, fresh or frozen and add my own vegetables and a sweet potato. I have salads with tinned salmon or tuna add fruit. No brands. You can get most food from Aldi. No white carbs no processed foods no junk food. Although confess once a month fish and chips and the odd ice cream and occasional naughty when eating out.

[wischo in reply to Raylpa]

That reply is a bit harsh as surely the tinned salmon and tuna you eat are brands and contain a lot more salt than fresh salmon or tuna. As part of a family it is very difficult to cook a plant based diet for yourself. I eat mostly low salt, fat and sugar foods and I eat brown bread which is branded de-caf coffee which is branded and lots of other foods. I also treat myself and eat a steak and chips now and then and a few beers at the weekend. I asked my cardiologist if I needed to change the way I eat and his reply was you are not carrying any weight so no. I exercise maybe 5-7 miles daily and do upper body weight training also. I feel you have to live life even with confirmed heart disease as it took 70 years to block one artery enough to require a stent and not expecting to be around at 100 no matter what I eat.

[Hidden]

+1 on the BHF site for ideas

Try this which includes a link to recipe finder

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

In my view the only real way to eat more healthily is to cook from basics whenever you can avoiding pre-prepared foods. That way you will at least have a much better idea of what you are eating. And you will avoid the salt, sugar and fat that are added to these meals to cover up what they really taste like.

[Tomorrow in reply to Hidden]

Thank you

[Tomorrow in reply to Hidden]

Thank you

[Still_Breathing]

Have a look here too.

diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-di...

[seniorita]

I do most of my cooking from scratch but freely admit there is a lot of food that I don't like the taste/texture, and mainly healthy stuff. I am resorting to making veggie smoothies, at least the texture will be okay and quicker to consume than chewing.I hasten to add I'm not having just smoothies, but using this method to increase my volume of foods I should be eating but currently don't.

I'm also one of the minority that detests the highly spiced or flavoured food, and if I can't identify the component parts I can't eat it.

[Becksagogo]

Cooking from scratch is the best way, thus avoiding ready meals and the like. I found a book called Cooking For Kids which I use a lot as its healthy food which hides things like brocoli which not everyone likes!

[statinsinthebin]

to simplify just eat proper food,meat vegetables,nuts fruit,milk cheese etc etc.if its in a package with a list of ingredients and chemicals,the chances are its processed fake food and not really good for you!

[trudger66]

There are over 700 great no-sugar real-food healthy recipes on the Diet Doctor website - it is the worlds no 1 low carb website with lots of free information and free of commercial interests or influence - there is even more information and help available if you become a member and subscribe but the free section is a fantastic resource dietdoctor.com/low-carb/rec...

[uzininemm]

BHF site has a recipe finder with all heart healthy meals (and you can refine your choice for diabetic friendly recipes too).

BHF home page-information & support-support-healthy living- healthy eating-recipes.

I use them all the time for ideas to cover all occasions, also they are relatively easy to cook, (they even do curries from scratch if you want flavour).

I don't know if you have outside space, if you are able I would also recommend growing some veg/fruit yourself.

[Tomorrow in reply to uzininemm]

Great, thanks will take a look. Im not a very good cook, so will have to start!

[uzininemm in reply to Tomorrow]

Neither am I at times😀, but the receipes are pretty easy to follow and you skills will improve with practice.

Trust me, you will do better than you think you can and there is nothing better for you mentally knowing that you made that all yourself!

Good luck and happy cooking.

[Mac-beats]

Plant-based eating can be delicious and by definition is based on whole foods. Its also proven to reduce BP, cholesterol and sugar levels.My tips would be make your meals from scratch and avoid, as much as possible, processed foods and fast food and eat lots of fruit and veg.

Just Google ‘plant based recipes’ and you’ll get loads of recipes online.

Right, I’m just off to make a green smoothie 😬

[Hidden]

The simple secret is to re-learn how to cook, that way you are in total control to what you put into your food and then ultimately into yourself.

One of the biggest shocks for me was portion sizes, something that when I was fit never bothered me, but now I’ve been told to slow down a bit its become the secret of me maintaining a healthy weight.

We can all throw our pennies worth at you and my main advice would be ; Take it slow, change a bit at a time and you won’t notice it.

You talk of a plant based diet, please take care as you switch over because, plant based meals can be extra loaded with all sorts of things that is needed to give it taste { ready made stuff }

The looky, likey stuff is the worse, the effort it takes to turn beans into rump steak takes so much processing that you are better of with the real thing { if ethic’s allow }

You will get there because you are thinking about it, that is a fantastic start.

Take care

[Tomorrow in reply to Hidden]

Thank you!!! Im going to get cooking!! 🤞🤞

[benjijen]

I batch cook from scratch. I use slow cooker or you can use pressure cooker. Anything you buy as a ready meal will not be healthy, and that includes the fashionable so called plant based! Make a big batch and freeze in portions and use spices and herbs for flavour. Remember that salt is not your enemy unless you use too much.

[Cee-Cee1]

My favourite 'healthy' type tasty meal is ratatouille. So easy to make - fresh courgette, onion, garlic (if you want) pepper, tomatoes, mushroom, oregano and a wee splash of olive oil, all served with a baked potato or some home made wheaten bread! I cook a big batch and freeze in portions. You can even make a soup with it if you put a portion in the blender and add a low-salt vegetable stock cube. (Think I'll make a big batch for the weekend - I even love the smell it sends round the kitchen while it's bubbling away in the pot.)😋😋

[marypw in reply to Cee-Cee1]

I've got a ratatouille recipe which you put a mixture of dessicated coconut and ground almonds on top - adds to the flavours and protein content!

[Cee-Cee1]

Sounds yummy but unfortunately I don't enjoy coconut - I'll definitely try it with the almonds though - I'd never have thought of that! Thank you