BREAKFAST FOR YOUNGER HEART

Eat This for Breakfast for a Younger Heart

Intensify the heart-strengthening benefit of your morning meal by tossing fresh berries into your whole-grain cereal.

This fruit-and-cereal combo gives you two types of fiber -- soluble and insoluble. And research shows that ample amounts of both may be key to reducing the risk of dying from heart disease. 

Fiber-Up Your Future
Plant-based foods are your essential fiber source because dietary fiber is a substance found only in plants. We're talking fruit, nuts, seeds, vegetables, whole grains and the like. And in a 14-year study, people with the highest intakes of fiber -- particularly fiber from fruit and whole grains -- had about an 18 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease compared to folks with minimal fiber intake. 

Fabulous Protective Fiber
Fiber's heart-saving magic is a triple threat: It improves cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, and reduces belly fat -- all good things in terms of lowering the risk of heart disease. As a bonus, fiber helps steady blood sugar, too. 

Surprisingly, the recent study showed that insoluble fiber -- the stuff that helps keep you regular -- may have an even more intense heart-protective effect than soluble fiber does. People with the highest intake of insoluble fiber had about a 50 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease compared with a 28 percent risk reduction in people with the highest intake of soluble fiber. Still, we know that both kinds of fiber bestow important health benefits. So aim for balance -- and try to get your fiber from a variety of sources.






WHAT’S FOR DINNER?!

Roasted Spiced Chicken Thighs

Crispy chicken skin is great, but you won't miss it in this recipe. Skinless thighs still get nice browning and cook up quickly to juicy goodness.

Prep Time:

0 mins

Total Time:

25 mins

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 4 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs, about 1 1/2 pounds
• 1 tablespoon spice rub for chicken
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 F. with rack in lower third.

Pat chicken dry and put in a lightly oiled 4-sided sheet pan. 

Stir together spice rub, cumin, coriander and salt and pepper to taste, then stir in oil and rub all over chicken. 

Roast chicken in oven, without turning, until cooked through and undersides are browned, 15 to 20 minutes.

 

about this recipe

Crispy chicken skin is great, but you won't miss it in this recipe. Skinless thighs still get nice browning and cook up quickly to juicy goodness. Be sure to taste the spice rub blend you use, since the amount of salt can vary quite a bit.