Whatever your view, it’s important to eat well through every season. Many of us believe we do. However, you might be surprised to learn that most adults’ eating patterns do not meet the Australian Dietary Guidelines.

In fact, a poor diet is one of the leading risk factors for developing heart disease.

There’s no quick fix diet to set you on a path to better heart health. Instead, the Heart Foundation recommends that you regularly eat healthy foods over time. By that, we mean what you eat over days, weeks and months.

How to eat well for your heart

Eating well for your heart means following an eating pattern that is:

naturally low in saturated and trans fats, salt and added sugar
rich in wholegrains, fibre, antioxidants and unsaturated fats

The best foods to eat and drink for better heart health include:

fruits, vegetables and wholegrains
healthy proteins, including fish and seafood, lean meat and poultry, legumes, nuts and seeds
reduced fat dairy, such as unflavoured milk, yoghurt and cheese
healthy fat choices, including nuts, seeds, avocados, olives and their oils for cooking
herbs and spices to flavour foods, instead of adding salt
water to quench your thirst

Discover some tasty winter treats

Need some inspiration? Here are some of our favourite heart-healthy recipes for winter:

Baked eggs with grainy toast

This is a dish you can eat anytime, whether you’re hungry for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The combination of tomatoes, kidney beans, capsicum, coriander and cumin make for some amazing flavours.

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Grandma’s slow-cooked beef stew

On a cold night, there’s nothing as comforting as grandma’s cooking! Pull out the recipe for this classic: it’s a heart-healthy dish that will make your taste buds do the time warp.

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Oat based fruit crumble

One traditional way to beat back the winter blues is enjoying a yummy crumble. Our version highlights that a delicious dessert can also be good for your heart.

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In winter, the struggle is real.

When it’s cold and raining outside, it’s natural to crave warm comfort foods. Sometimes, this means we eat foods that aren’t too healthy.

To help you care for your heart, and still enjoy some cold weather treats, read the Heart Foundation’s Winter Warmers recipe guide: the booklet contains more delicious, hearty recipes perfect for cold, dreary winter days. Download your free copy now.