Okay, this latest commercial just frustrated me. It comes just in time for National Heart Disease Awareness Month, how convenient. Please don’t be fooled by deceiving marketing, “Ensure Active Heart Health” is best if left out of your diet. The sugar & oils added to these processed drinks most definitely do not support a healthy heart. One bottle has nearly 5 teaspoons of added sugar! It is advised that women should not consume more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar in one day, and for men, that number is 9. (This recommendation by the way comes from the American Heart Association, how ironic). Not to mention the soy protein isolate, which is chemically engineered from soybeans leaving behind toxins such as aluminum and hexane. I cannot stress enough how important it is to always read labels, the more ingredients, the more processed the “food” is.
Support your heart health with REAL food. Get your potassium from nourishing food without all of the added junk. Fruits, vegetables, fish & nuts are all naturally high in potassium. We often think of bananas as being high in potassium but there are so many other great foods that are packed full with potassium! Clams, salmon, artichokes, spinach, kale, beans, beets, potatoes, papayas, pomegranates and avocados just to name a few! Embrace more anti-inflammatory foods like those rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Fatty fish like salmon, tuna, haddock and mackerel offer EPA and DHA. Omega-3 ‘s can also be found in some plant-based foods in the form of alpha-linolenic acid or ALA. These foods include flaxseeds, Chia seeds, walnuts and pumpkin seeds. Lastly, avoid trans fats, which are considered “toxic” fats. These are added to numerous processed foods including margarine, baked goods, chips, many frozen meals, non-dairy flavored coffee creamers, and many many more foods! You can identify them on a food label as “partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oils.” Real food ALWAYS wins.