If the phrase "heart-healthy diet" makes you think of poached chicken and steamed vegetables without salt or seasoning, you're not alone. But eating to improve heart health — whether to control blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels or slow coronary artery disease — doesn't mean signing up for a lifetime of bland food. In this episode, we explore the different ingredients, simple swaps and best cooking methods to help achieve our health goals without sacrificing one of life's great pleasures — enjoying delicious food.

Expert: Amanda Beaver, Registered Dietitian

Interviewer: Kim Rivera Huston-Weber

Notable topics covered:

• Do you need to fear sugar in a heart-healthy diet?
• The salt shaker isn't your enemy — discover the true culprit for excess sodium intake
• Tips & tricks to shopping for (and cooking with) ingredients from the grocery store's middle aisles
• Sea salt, iodized, Kosher, Himalayan pink: Is one better than the other?
• Why you should revisit (or bulk up) your spice drawer or cabinet
• Can acid make smaller amounts of salt go farther in dishes?
• MSG, the controversial ingredient that can add savoriness with two-thirds less sodium
• Healthier choices when shopping for cooking oil
• Why not all fats are bad — and the swaps that can help improve our heart health
• Is there a healthier option to white table sugar?
• Why your mindset should be "what can I add" rather than "what I should take away"
• Why cooking method matters and why we should use our oven or air fryer more

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