Guess what, chicas?! February is Heart Health Month and, unfortunately, being a Latina is a big risk factor for heart disease. At the same time, I know that none of us want to deal with a heart attack or stroke, which is why I was so happy to read that a vegetarian diet actually dramatically lowers your risk of suffering from the disease that is 40 percent more likely to kill a Hispanic man or woman versus a non-Hispanic white.
The thing, though, is that when I talk about going vegetarian to any Latino, they look at me as if I've grown a second head. I know, I know, our culture is absolutely full of red meat and pork but the truth of the matter is that these dishes are not doing you any favors. Instead, we've come up with 5 tips on how to go vegetarian for Heart Health Month–without losing your mind, getting bored or hating everything you're eating. Coupled with our Latin vegetarian recipes, you're off to have a heart healthy February for sure!
Read more ¿Qué más? Heart attack prevention: 8 ways you can stay healthy
1. Start with just doing it part-time: Going from eating a ton of meat and chicken one day to eating only rice, beans and some vegetables another day is not easy. Instead of driving yourself crazy, why not begin slowly? Start with indulging in Meatless Mondays, then move on to vegetarian lunches, then add vegetarian-only breakfasts (sorry, no bacon!) and finally go for meatless dinners at least 3 to 4 times a week. This "flexitarian" style of eating is much easier to maintain and still reaps a lot of the heart health benefits of going completely vegetarian.
2. Don't just eat bread & cheese: Here's a shocker: you can be a REALLY unhealthy vegetarian. Although most people don't realize it, but it's actually really easy to sustain yourself on potato chips and cheese pizza, since both of those are meatless options. However, the point of going vegetarian is to improve your overall health, right? So don't dig into the bread and cheese. Instead, opt for replacing your former meat options with fresh vegetables instead.
3. Spice up your veggies & fruit: The thing I hate most is when people say that being a vegetarian is boring. Vegetarian food is FAR from boring–if only you know how to spice it up! The key here is to eat your vegetables and fruit with plenty of flavor, which includes spices like chipotle pepper, Spanish paprika, turmeric, adobo, basil and anything else you can imagine. Avoid the sugar but definitely add in as much seasoning as you can handle. Plus, there are plenty of healthy properties in spices like chili pepper and turmeric, so don't skimp!
4. Make sure to cook healthy, too! So you want to be vegetarian to fulfill your healthy eating goals? Well, then you can't really go around cooking your vegetables, quinoa or tofu in greasy oils (like canola or vegetable oil!), butter and broths with a high sodium content. Instead, learn to cook healthy with olive oil, coconut oil (yes, it really works wonders!) and even just boiling with water. Personally, I'm a big fan of roasting vegetables in the oven with just a sprinkling of olive oil, sea salt, pepper and your favorite spice. This way they're guaranteed to taste good AND remain good for you, too!
5. Include whole grains & protein: Although I really want your vegetarian meals to consist of plenty of vegetables and some fruit, it's important to also not forget whole grains and protein. Don't just rely on your white rice and potatoes. Instead, opt for better options like brown rice, sweet potatoes and Peruvian quinoa (which is a protein, too!). As for protein, beans, nuts and seeds are an excellent source. Plus, you should also make sure that you're having plenty of protein-rich veggies, like broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, artichokes and dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale and collard or mustard greens.
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