Light the Grill, Love Your Heart In 3 Easy Steps
Grilling season is almost here! Grilling is a great way to keep the heat out of the kitchen, get outside, and add new flavors and menu items to your meals.
Keeping your grilled dinners in the heart-healthy zone only needs 3 easy steps:
1) Choose heart-healthy protein
Many grilled meats are served in very large portions and contain a lot of saturated fat. But if you choose smaller, leaner portions and trim excess fat, it is easier to keep your saturated fat calories to 10% or less of your daily intake.
Here is our recommended list:
| Protein (3 oz) | Calories | Saturated Fat |
| Chicken breast | ~140 | ~1 g |
| Chicken thigh | ~180 | ~2–3 g |
| Salmon | ~180 | ~2–3 g |
| Tuna | ~130 | ~0.5 g |
| White fish | ~100 | ~0.5–1 g |
| Sirloin beef | ~180 | ~3–4 g |
| Flank steak | ~160 | ~2–3 g |
| Tofu | ~90 | ~0.5 g |
Keep your protein choices moist and flavorful by marinating in a little olive oil, lemon or lime juice, broth, herbs, and seasonings. Avoid charring.
2) Add lots of fresh veggies, enough to fill half your plate
Spring and summer yield a beautiful bounty of many fruits and veggies that are delicious when grilled. Here is our top 10 go-to list:
Zucchini and yellow squash
Bell peppers
Mushrooms
Onions and scallions
Corn
Eggplant
Asparagus
Cherry or grape tomatoes
Carrots
Sweet potatoes
I like to marinate them and put them in a foil pocket so they cook alongside the protein items in my grill without falling through the grates and getting overly charred.
Another way to add more veggies is to use pico de gallo (chopped tomato salsa) and other vegetable-forward dips.
Don’t forget to add fruits to the grill, too. They make a nice addition to grilled meals and can partially replace barbecue sauce with their sweet, acidic flavor. Our favorites include:
Pineapple slices
Peach and nectarine wedges
Watermelon slices - with the rind
Mangoes
Grapes
3) Keep sodium in check
While we all love barbecue sauce and many condiments, it pays to read food labels and watch serving sizes, as many popular choices, like teriyaki and barbecue sauce, tend to be very high in sodium, averaging 300 mg per ounce (2 tablespoons) or up to 700 mg for buffalo sauces. Go heavier on marinades and use the high-sodium sauces sparingly.
Citrus marinades (~5–50 mg)
Pepper oil (~0–100 mg)
Herb/yogurt sauces (~100–200 mg)
Teriyaki/soy marinades (~300–600 mg)
Barbecue sauce (~300–700+ mg)
If you are using a dry rub, consider cutting the salt in half or omitting it.
Here are the high-sodium “gotchas” that are usually served at a barbecue:
Canned baked beans (½ cup): ~400–600 mg
Deli coleslaw (½ cup): ~200–400 mg
Barbecue sauce (2 Tbsp): ~300–700 mg
Pickles (1 spear): ~300–500 mg
Rolls/buns (1 roll): ~150–300 mg
Hot dog (1 link): ~400–600 mg
Mustard (1 Tbsp): ~150–300 mg
If you have one of each, you would consume a whole day’s supply of sodium or more!
By filling half your plate with vegetables and fruits, you can avoid piling it with too many high-sodium choices. Making some of these items from scratch, skipping pickles, relish, mustard, and hot dogs, will also help keep sodium within recommended ranges.
Enjoy your barbecue!
