Don’t think of it as a diet, but a change in lifestyle. Ada Palermo, LSU AgCenter extension agent for Iberia Parish, said instead of tackling that latest fad diet, follow a few simple rules and keep the taste in your daily food.

“Eat a wide variety of nutritious foods from all the food groups but keep your eye on serving size,” Palermo said. “To get the nutrients you need, first choose foods like vegetables, fruits, whole-grain products, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, lean meat, poultry and fish.

Two recipes (printed right) sure to please anyone — Tilapia with Smokey-Pepper Sauce and Chocolate Pudding Cake — from the American Heart Association, show that you don’t have to give up taste to eat healthy.

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Other tips offered by Palermo include:

 Look for foods high in whole grains. Unrefined whole-grain foods contain fiber that can lower blood cholesterol and make you feel full, which may help you manage your weight.

 Eat fish at least twice a week. Recent research shows that eating oily fish containing omega-3 fatty acids (such as salmon, trout and herring) may lower your risk of death from coronary heart disease.

Make heart-healthy grocery shopping simple. Look for the American Heart Association’s heart-check mark on food products. It’s your assurance that the food is low in saturated fat and cholesterol and/or high in whole grains.

 Shop easy. A heart-healthy grocery list is just a click away. Before heading to the grocery store create your free, personalized list using the tool provided by the American Heart Association at heartcheckmark.org.