Your Personal Best: Heart-healthy food substitutions

The holidays are here, and everyone is more than ready for a table full of scrumptious goodies. But there are some things you can do to help your heart health even while you stuff yourself with cookies, pies and pastries.

A big way to have your cake and eat it too is by making heart-healthy substitutions, said Dr. Milady Murphy.

Here are some examples:

• Swap out the butter or margarine for olive oil
• Use 1% or low-fat dairy instead of cream.
• If a recipe calls for a cup or more of sugar, cut back to about a quarter cup and add a teaspoon of honey.
• Use more herbs and spices and less salt.

These simple changes will not only improve your health but are still tasty.