Food that are bad for your heart
- Dietitian.Lauren Hmede
- Apr 9, 2019
- 3 min read
Foods That Are Bad for Your Heart
Sugar, Salt, Fat
High amount of sugar, salt, saturated fatty acids and refined carbs with time increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
If you are worry about your heart health you need to focus on your overall diet quality rather than just omitting some types of food.
Bacon
Half of bacons calories come from saturated fatty acids which have been linked to high level of LDl cholesterol, stroke and heart disease. Moreover bacon is high in salt which has been linked to blood pressure and stroke. In addition it is loaded with preservatives that are not good for your overall health.
Red Meat
Red meat consumption has been linked to heart diasese and diabetes due to high saturated fatty acids content. More recent studies point to how gut bacteria process a part of the meat called L-carnitine. Limit your portions and choose lean cuts.
Soda
Small amount of sugar wont harm your body but sugar from sodas and carbonated beverages add up quickly and lead to weight gain and obesity that have been linked to diabetes type 2, heart disease, high blood pressure ad stroke.
Baked Goods
Cookies, cakes and muffins are not a healthy choices. They are loaded with refined sugar linked to sugar spike, insulin resistance and eventually diabetes type 2. Moreover, they raise triglycerides level linked to heart disease. Replace them with whole grains choices.
Processed Meats
Hot dogs, sausage and salami, and lunch meat are worst meat choices due to their high sodium content linked to blood pressure and high amount of saturated fatty acids linked to heart disease. Choose turkey in small amount as it contains low amount of saturated fatty acid and can be still a good choice.
White Rice, Bread, and Pasta
Rice, bread, pasta, and snacks made from white flour are missing their healthy fiber, vitamins, and minerals.Refined carbs raise blood sugar and increase risk of abdominal obesity linked to diabetes type 2 and heart disease. Make half of your grains whole and choose always 100% whole grains made.
Pizza
Most pizza are loaded with sodium, fat and calories all are not good fro yuor heart health. So when you are dining out choose thin crust, less cheese and more veggies.
Alcohol
Moderate drinking won’t harm your heart unless you have high blood pressure or high triglycerides.
Heavy drinking, on the other hand, can lead to high blood pressure, heart failure, strokes, and weight gain. So if you don’t already drink, don’t start.
Butter
Butter is high in saturated fatty acids which raise LDL cholesterol. So choose vegetable oil rich in PUFA and MUFA like olive oil.
Flavoured, Full-Fat Yogurt
Yogurt is very important to improve gut health and immune system. Flavoured yogurts are full of added sugar, with its links to weight gain, high blood pressure, inflammation, and heart disease. For the healthiest choice, get plain low-fat yogurt and add your own fresh fruit, cinnamon, or vanilla for flavour.
French Fries
Deep fries potatoes are high in fat and calories and icnrease risk of heart disease. If you indulge, get the smallest portion possible or split your order. Even better: Make your own oven-baked fries with heart-healthy olive oil. They’ll be even better for you if you use sweet potatoes.
Fried Chicken
Deep frying chicken is high in fat, sodium and calories. Intsead choose chicken breast and skinless choice.
Canned Soup
Canned soup often has lots of sodium, which can cause high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. And any cream-based soup has unhealthy saturated fat. The healthiest way to enjoy soup is to make it from scratch with a low-sodium broth. If you do buy prepared soup, check the label for the least salt and fat.
Ranch Dressing
Dressing like buttermilk, salt, and sugar. They are high in fat, sodium and calories. You can have a healthy creamy dressings by blending low-fat sour cream or cottage cheese with low-fat buttermilk and fresh herbs like dill, tarragon, or chives.
Ice Cream
Ice cream is high in sugar, saturated fat and calories. You can cut your calories and fat by choosing sorbet, low-fat or nonfat frozen yogurt, or frozen fruit bars. Check the label for the least amount of sugar and saturated fat.
Potato Chips
They are high calories and salt and thus they are linked to high blood pressure and weight gain. Skip the lower-sodium or low-fat potato chips. The most nutritious snacks combine healthy proteins, carbs, and fats, like whole-grain crackers with low-fat cheese or homemade popcorn tossed with olive oil.
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