3 Surprising Heart-Smart Foods

February is American Heart Month and aside from serving as a reminder for us to eat healthier, it’s important that we remind ourselves to maintain a healthier diet not just this month, but all year long.

Some of us may think that eating heart-healthy means cutting out most of our favorite foods, however, that’s not necessarily true. Turns out, there are a few everyday pleasures out there that many would be surprised to hear fit into a heart-smart diet. Read on to learn more about three of them.

Eggs

An egg a day doesn’t have a significant impact on risk for heart disease. And although eggs are high in cholesterol, they’re low in saturated fat (1.5 grams saturated fat per egg), and saturated fat has more of an effect on our cholesterol levels.

Guacamole

Guacamole immediately adds a sense of celebration to any meal, and we can really feel good about it, too. Guacamole is rich in potassium (half an avocado has more potassium than a banana), it’s a good source of fiber and it’s rich in heart-smart, plant-based fats.

Crawfish

Not only are crawfish crazy-low in calories, they’re also low in carbs and high in protein. And although they’re high in cholesterol (a 6-ounce serving of tails has 232 milligrams), saturated and trans fats have more of an impact on our cholesterol levels; crawfish tails contain less than one gram of total fat and zero grams of saturated fat. Keep an eye on portions though, since crawfish are naturally high in sodium.