02 Dec Heart Healthy Diet Tips for the Holidays from NYC Dietitians

Over the holidays, high-calorie, high-sodium, high-fat, and high-sugar treats and meals abound! Who doesn’t want to dig into that delicious holiday buffet?

When you’re trying to lose weight (and maintain weight loss), reduce your cholesterol levels, and improve your cardiovascular health, the holidays can feel overwhelming. Most want to push that diet plan aside and forget about it.

Do not despair. With these few tips, you can enjoy your favorite flavors while maintaining your cardiovascular diet plan.

Heart Healthy Recommendations from Cardiovascular Dietitians:

Beware of the Beverage: 

Eggnog, hot chocolate, and those pumpkin-spice triple lattes with pumps of syrupy goo and whipped cream are bombs for any cardiovascular diet plan. Add wine, spritzers, cocktails, and boozy drinks, and you’ve just ingested lots of sugar and calories in one teensy little glass.

Try these festive swaps to celebrate the season without all those calories, sugar, and fat:

• Have one glass of wine, then drink sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon the rest of the night.
• Festive-up your coffee drinks with low-fat whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg.
• Use skim or oat milk (or another unsweetened plant-based milk) for hot chocolate.
• Drink water in between each drink. Stay hydrated!

Go Heavy on the Veggies and Fruits

• Choose your favorite indulgence, then pile your plate with delicious steamed and raw veggies and fresh fruits.
• Feeling munchy? Grab carrot and celery sticks and dip them in low-fat Greek yogurt or peanut butter.
• Add veggies to your favorite soups and sauces.
• Instead of creamy salad dressing, use lemon juice or a splash of oil and vinegar.

Cut Back on Sodium:

• Beware of hidden salt that lurks in sauces and treats.
• Steer clear of cured meats and heavy sauces.
• Go for steamed or raw veggies.
• Swap those fried proteins for grilled or baked.
• When using canned veggies, rinse them off several times before including them in recipes.

Don’t Skip Meals:

Maintain your diet plan and routine. Skipping meals just causes overeating later on, and you can slip into an unhealthy binge-starve cycle. When you maintain your diet and eating hours, you won’t arrive to parties famished. Before a big party, try a high-protein snack (like Greek yogurt with fruit). This will keep you full enough, so when you arrive, you’ll be able to enjoy a favorite treat and then enjoy the company even more.

Use a Smaller Plate:

Bigger plates call for bigger portion sizes. Fill a smaller plate with favorite flavors, then put it away. This can help you manage portion control.

Indulge in Chocolate:

Dark chocolate is a decadent and wonderfully healthy treat. Pass up the milk chocolate and white chocolates and have a square of delicious dark chocolate.

Heart Health Facts & Statistics

The American Heart Association has released its 2025 statistics on heart disease.

• 25% of US adults have high LDL-C (≥130 mg/dL)
• 29% of US adults are at a healthy weight (71% are overweight or obese)
• Over 50% of US adults are affected by diabetes or pre-diabetes
• Over 2500 people die of CVD (cardiovascular disease) each day

We want you to get heart-healthy. As cardiovascular dietitian nutritionists, we work with patients to not only help them improve their heart health, but also sustain the dietary and lifestyle changes they need to reduce their risk of stroke and heart attack, all one delicious bite at a time! We promise, we will never promote tasteless, cardboard diet plans. The American Heart Association has a beautiful holiday eating guide filled with delicious recipes and tips.

This holiday season, indulge in family and friends and kindness and gratitude and some of your favorite family flavors and traditions. Be heart smart and take care of yourself.