Looking after your heart health is an important part of your overall wellbeing. Your heart pumps day in and day out to keep you moving and living and is one of the hardest working muscle of your body.
Ways to stay on top of your heart health include staying active throughout the day, working an exercise regime into your schedule, avoiding smoking, taking time out to relax and getting in some good quality sleep.
Another key to maintaining good heart health is your diet.
And when it comes to what diet is best for your heart, it’s all about keeping it old school with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds, reduced fat dairy, fish and seafood and plenty of whole grains like oats.
This recipe for reducing blood cholesterol contains
Blackmores Smart Heart ™ - OatWell™ oat bran powder, that contains four times the amount of betaglucans of regular rolled oats*; making this raw banana bread your heart’s new best friend!
Betaglucans, when consumed as part of a healthy diet that is low in saturated fatty acids and contains 3 g of betaglucan per day helps to reduce blood cholesterol.
vegan, dairy free, refined sugar free, raw
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Blackmores Smart Heart ™
- 2 cups raw almonds
- 1 + 1/2 cup raw walnuts
- 1 tspn cinnamon
- A pinch of salt
- 5 pitted Medjool dates
- 2 very ripe bananas
- 1/4 cup vegan dark chocolate, roughly chopped (optional)
How to make
- In a blender or food processor, blitz the almonds, one cup of walnuts, Blackmores Smart Heart ™Blackmores Smart Heart powder, cinnamon and salt until it resembles a fine flour. Do not over combine at this step as it will turn your mixture into nut butter
- Add the dates and bananas to the blender or food processor and combine the mixture becomes a soft dough then fold in the remaining half cup of walnuts (roughly chop them if you like) and dark chocolate pieces until they are evenly distributed through the mix
- Line a loaf tin with plastic wrap, baking paper or foil then pour the banana bread mixture into it, pressing it down firmly and evenly then cover and place in the fridge to set for about an hour up to overnight
- When set, cut into desired size pieces or slices and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. If you wish to keep it longer, you can store it in the freezer
*AEGIC – Oats: The typical beta glucan content of Australian milling oats ranges between 4.5% and 5.5%. Blackmores Smart Heart contains Oatwell Oat Bran with a beta glucan content of 22%. (or words to this effect) AEGIC is an initiative of the Western Australian state government and the Grains Research and Development Corporation 25
Roberta of Naturo Medico is a Naturopathic Practitioner who specialises in preventative care and women’s health. From her Melbourne-based clinic, Roberta sees women of all ages wanting to meet their own health goals and assists them on their path with personalised treatments specific to their needs.
Alongside practice, Roberta shares healthful and nutrient-rich recipes with her readers who inspire her to continue educating on what health and wellbeing means and how it can be achieved.
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@naturomedico on Instagram for more healthy eating inspiration!