Sample Heart Healtly Diet Plan: Lunch

Do You Need a Lunch That Fills You Up and Tastes Good?

This heart healthy lunch is packed with all kinds of goodness, whether you're watching what you eat or not. This meal in inexpensive, super quick and easy to make and it tastes good, too. The chili cooks in 20 minutes and the baked sweet potato requires no fuss: just rinse and bake right in the skin.


Lunch Example:


1 cup heart healthy vegetarian chili (cooks in 20 mins)
5 low-sodium crackers
1 medium baked sweet potato with cinnamon
1tsp brown sugar
1/2 cup raw baby carrots
12 oz filtered water

Total Calories= 490
Calories From Fat= 83
Fiber= 18 grams



What's So Great About This Lunch Example?


1. Fiber, Fiber & More Fiber!

Did you notice that this lunch is loaded with fiber? A whopping 18 grams to be exact1 That's 2/3 of the daily requirement for a man over age 50 and almost 100% of the amount a woman over age 50 needs. Remember, that's the stuff that's going to keep your ticker ticking by cleaning out your blood vessels.

Notice that there's a large glass of water that follows this meal. That's because increasing fiber without increasing water intake will leave you with some very uncomfortable side effects like constipation. After all the fiber and water, you'll feel very full which should help to hold you over until dinner.


2. Protein

The vegetarian chili is made with beans that are full of low-fat protein. This allows you to get the benefits of protein without the saturated fat and cholesterol from meat. If you're really not into vegetarian dishes, add some ground turkey breast or lean ground beef.


3. Calories and Fat

This lunch has just under 500 calories. Even if you're on a modest 1500 calorie diet, this one is about one third of your calories for the day. If you're on a 2000 calorie diet, it's only about a fourth of your calories for the day. It's also low in fat so no worries there either. There are about 80 fat calories in this meal.