As many of us know the best key to living a long life has to do with the health of our heart!  Heart disease causes the most deaths in the United States and it is something that all of us should keep in mind. Adding just a few heart healthy foods to our daily meal choices can help keep our hearts strong! Here is our list of foods to help strengthen and fight against any problems that can fall into the category of heart disease.

Breakfast time!

• The number one morning heart food is oatmeal. Packed with good fiber this breakfast choice can help lower cholesterol and will keep our arteries clear. Along with being able to change the flavor and taste with some of the other foods on this list, oatmeal is extremely versatile.

Need a good snack? Reach for Nuts, or Citrus!

• Almonds help lower cholesterol, while pistachios lower blood pressure, and walnuts can keep the keep arteries clear too. Mix this three nut combo and you have a powerful heart protecting trio!
• If you are a fan of citrus your best bet is to picking up a grapefruit or orange which can improve the good cholesterol in your body.

Change up an existing recipe with olive oil, or avocado.

• Keeping olive oil constant in our diets can slow down the aging of our heart, and as a bonus – by keeping our arteries clean it will also reduce our risk of strokes.
• Avocado can add a lot of flavor to many different types of meals while decreasing triglycerides and bad cholesterol.

Eat from the sea for the omega-3!

• Sardines, Albacore Tuna, and Salmon have some of the highest omega-3 content among all fish. Like the majority of other foods on this list, omega-3 can help reduce cholesterol but its biggest strength is reducing inflammation in the body that can lead to damaging your blood vessels.

When making your next food choice, keep these foods in mind and know that your heart will thank you for it!

Grilled Tuna with Chipotle Ponzu and Avocado Salsa

4 servings

Ingredients

Ponzu:

½ cup orange juice

½ cup lime juice

¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger

1 ½ chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

Salsa:

¾ cup diced English cucumber

½ cup diced plum tomato

½ cup diced peeled avocado

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Remaining Ingredients:

4 (6-ounce) tuna steaks

¼ teaspoon salt

Cooking spray

2 cups hot cooked medium-grain rice

Preparation:

To prepare ponzu, place 1/cup orange juice and the next 5 ingredients (through 1 ½ chipotle chilies) in a blender, and process until smooth.

To prepare salsa, combine diced cucumber, tomato, avocado, and cilantro in a small bowl.

Sprinkle fish with salt. Heat a large nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat.

Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fish: cook 2 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Cut each tuna steak diagonally across the grain into the slices. Arrange sliced tuna over rice: top with salsa, and drizzle with ponzu.

Recipe from: www.myrecipes.com