The month of February has everyone thinking of cupid’s arrow and chocolate hearts, but it’s also a month to be aware of the health of the heart beating in your own body. With February being Heart Health Month, it’s important for you to know that heart disease is not something that happens overnight. Certainly, genetic factors play a role in the risk for heart disease, but heart health has a lot to do with the lifestyle choices made over the years. Smoking, obesity and poor diet choices are big risk factors for heart disease.
Speaking of diet choices, choosing the right oil can be crucial to protecting the heart because oil is a common ingredient in most of our homemade dishes whether it be creating a family meal or simply sauteing a vegetable dish. Consumption of a high amount of saturated fat and trans fats has been known to put the heart in danger. This is why I love cooking with canola oil. It has the least saturated fat out of all the common oils and is completely free of trans fats and cholesterol. It also has the most omega-3 fat out of any cooking oil out there and omega-3’s are also known to promote heart health.
Given these facts, it’s a pretty clear fact that canola oil is a solid choice if you’re looking to protect your heart. The FDA has even authorized the health claim on canola oil’s potential to reduce the risk of heart disease. One of the best parts is that canola oil can achieve this for just pennies a day as it is also an affordable cooking oil. About 1.5 tablespoons of canola oil a day is enough to protect the heart when used in place of saturated fat which is a super simple change anyone can make to be more heart smart.
Here I have some mouthwatering recipes you can try if you’re looking to try to start incorporating canola oil into your meals to keep your heart healthy. I also like cooking with canola oil due to its light texture and neutral flavor which keeps the flavors of your food intact. Therefore, the cumin and paprika flavor in the chickpea recipe will be enhanced and the cilantro of the cucumber and bean salad can be savored. Check these recipes out and start showing your heart some love this February!
– Crispy Chickpeas and Pumpkin Seeds with Lime
– Cucumber and Black Bean Salsa Salad
– Chunky Chicken Vegetable and Rosemary Stew
Disclaimer: Manuel Villacorta, M.S., R.D., is a spokesperson/ambassador for CanolaInfo and is paid for services which include, but not limited to, photography, videography, recipe development, social media promotion and online contributions.
– “I only represent companies that I truly believe in their mission and love their products. I use them often myself as they are the best, nutritionally foods available. All the opinions expressed this article or video are my own” – Manuel Villacorta.
