Eating for your heart doesn’t have to be expensive, according to these experts. A heart-healthy diet includes plenty of vitamins and nutrients. However, products labelled as ‘healthy’ are often on the pricier end of the scale, and a healthy heart shouldn’t be accessible only to those who can afford it. And the good news is, it isn’t.
I asked several experts, from nutritionists to GPs, about eating for heart health on a budget. They gave me a slew of suggestions, including items for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacking throughout the day. By combining these suggestions, a weekly shopping list was created, and it came to only £16.57. It includes all the good stuff, like plenty of fibre and protein, as well as good, filling staples. While things like bread, milk and sauces can be added at your discretion, this is a solid list of nutritious, heat healthy basics that will help you stay full, fit and well, and many of them cost under £1.
Oats – 85p (1kg)
Oats are an incredibly cheap and healthy food staple to have in your cupboard. An 85p pack from the likes of Aldi and Lidl gets you a kilo, which will likely last you more than one week if you’re having a bowl of porridge every day for breakfast.
Simple oats contain soluble fibre, which can help as part of a diet designed to manage cholesterol levels, says Hira Malik, superintendent pharmacist and co-founder at Oushk Pharmacy.
Meanwhile, Dr Linia Patel, Women’s Health Dietitian & Performance Nutritionist at Pure Sports Medicine, says that oats are rich in beta-glucan, a soluble fibre that helps lower LDL (‘bad’) cholesterol by reducing cholesterol absorption in the gut. “Have porridge, overnight oats or bake with oats,” she suggested.
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Tinned oily fish – 55p
Tins of tinned oily fish like sardines can be bought in supermarkets for as little as 55p. When people search for protein, they often default to the meat fridge. But an affordable substitute is tinned fish, which can be bought for under £1 most of the time.
“For affordable sources of healthy fats and protein, tinned sardines, mackerel and trout can be great alternatives to fresh oily fish, which is typically more expensive,” said Performance Nutrition Specialist and Health and Wellbeing Consultant Dan Osman from Prep Kitchen. GP and co-founder at Coyne Medical, Dr Hugh Coyne, echoed the benefits of tinned fish.
Seven tins, one for every day of the week, cost £3.85 in total.
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Frozen vegetables – 99p
Experts say that the frozen aisle shouldn’t be ignored, especially when it comes to vegetables. Vegetables contain vital nutrients that lower blood pressure and have other heart-friendly benefits. Fresh vegetables can add up, but a bag of mixed frozen vegetables is often around £1.
PocDoc’s Medical Director, Dr Kate Bunyan, said that fresh produce is not automatically healthier than frozen. “Frozen fruit and vegetables still count towards your five a day, often cost less, last much longer and can help reduce food waste,” she said.
Brenda Heather, Nutrition Expert at Meo Nutrition, said that the ideal day of heart-healthy food could include porridge with fruit for breakfast, lentil or bean soup with wholemeal bread for lunch, then a jacket potato with frozen vegetables and tinned oily fish for dinner.
(Image: Getty)
