Pharmacy Daily | Have a choccy and a healthy heart too

PHARMACY customers can have their choccy eggs and their heart health too by taking up the Heart Foundation's Heart Healthy Eating Pattern this Easter.

The foundation's senior dietitian, Jemma O'Hanlon explained that "a heart healthy eating pattern acknowledges that the whole of what we eat is more important than any single food in isolation, or on a particular day.

"Eating from the main food groups regularly and only occasionally having discretionary foods helps make positive and lasting changes to a person's diet.

"People can also use these groups to substitute a healthier ingredient into their favourite meals - whether it's brown rice instead of white rice, olive oil instead of butter, or lentils to help bulk up their bolognese, and provide much needed fibre - the Heart Healthy Eating Pattern is easy to follow and fun to experiment with."

And what about those Easter choccy eggs?

O'Hanlon explains that a Pattern trumps a fad diet because it focuses on creating good eating habits, and not excluding foods.

"Diets are like really hard video games: one wrong move and they tell you it's game over," she said, "and as a result people are more likely just to give up than try again.

"A Heart Healthy Eating Pattern helps you to eat healthy more often than not, in a world where holiday and birthday celebrations with discretionary foods is common.

"For most of the year people will be eating the best possible foods to protect their heart, and don't need to feel bad about enjoying a little chocolate at Easter, some treats at other festive times, and a piece of cake on their birthday."

Heart Foundation's top five healthy heart tips include:

Shape the home environment

"It's often the foods that we surround ourselves with that we tend to eat the most," O'Hanlon said.

"This means we can feel empowered to design our home environment in a way that supports our heart health.

"Keep fresh fruit handy in a big bowl on the kitchen bench, and keep chocolates in the cupboard so you're not constantly tempted by them."

Go dark

"Dark chocolate is the better chocolate choice as it's higher in cacao, which is rich in antioxidants.

"Try 70% or greater dark chocolate, it will give you a real chocolate hit and chances are won't feel the need to eat too much in one sitting."

Make a personal rule: pair with whole foods

"Serve a couple of small dark chocolate eggs on an entertaining platter with a range of vibrant coloured fruits, vegetables, cheese and nuts.

"You'll get to enjoy a variety of delicious foods and the whole family can dig in and enjoy them together."

Sharing is caring

"Share chocolates around to reduce the quantity somebody may otherwise consume."

Cook with cacao

"Think about other ways to get your chocolate fix such as adding a teaspoon of cacao powder to dishes like porridge, or a cup of warm milk," O'Hanlon said.