According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 647,000 Americans die from heart disease every year. The leading risk factors that cause cardiovascular disease are smoking, high blood pressure, and stress.
Many do not know, though, that food can be the culprit contributing to heart disease. A diet that is high in saturated fats, salt, and sugar can put your heart health on the line.
These are the types of food that can be detrimental to your cardiovascular system.
Fried Foods
Fried foods such as bacon, fried chicken, french fries, potato chips, and corn dogs are the most significant contributors to heart disease. Flour-coated food is often high in calories which could lead to obesity and, at times, diabetes. Foods that are fried can cause trans fats to develop. Consuming an abundance of trans fat can heighten your LDL levels (bad cholesterol) by causing buildup in your arteries.
Red Meat
Red meat such as pork and beef, when eaten often, can compromise heart health. Pork, beef, or lamb is high in saturated fats. The body needs fats to function, but the healthy kind. Foods that contain healthy fats include avocados, nuts, and fish. Saturated fats, like trans fats ingested daily, can cause bad cholesterol. Note that cholesterol itself is not dangerous for your body. In fact, the body needs cholesterol to produce healthy cells, hormones and conserve the integrity of the nerves.
Sugary Drinks
Sodas, energy drinks, and even some juices can harm the cardiovascular system. Sugary drinks can become a factor that could contribute to obesity. Over 35% of adults suffer from obesity in the United States. In recent years, children have been included as one of the populations at-risk as well. Data reported that one in 8 preschoolers are obese. Medical experts state that if a person’s body mass index is 25-29, they are obese.
Baked Treats
Having a cookie or piece of cake once in a while will not be damaging to your health. The American Heart Association states that a person should not have more than 24 grams (6 teaspoons) of sugar per day. In the United States, the average American consumes 72 grams of sugar daily. Sugar is not the only ingredient in baked goods that can contribute to heart disease. The flour found in desserts that are baked can be to blame as well. White flour can increase blood sugar levels which can cause heart disease.
Refined Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are essential for producing energy. Carbs are the primary source of fuel for organs such as the nervous system and heart vessels. Refined carbohydrates, though, that do not contain any vital nutrients such as fiber can negatively affect the body. Experts at Medical News Today shared, “the body uses refined carbs much more quickly than it uses unrefined carbs.
As a result, refined carbs create a short burst of energy.” The short burst of energy can create the sensation of being hungry, leading to a high caloric intake; instead of eating carbs such as white rice and pasta, opt-out for healthier options such as oats and healthy grains like quinoa.
Alcoholic Beverages
People who drink large amounts of alcohol can suffer from high blood pressure and weaken their heart muscles. Alcohol can also cause an excessive amount of weight gain, which can also strain the cardiovascular system. One of the most dangerous outcomes of an excessive amount of alcohol intake is developing an abnormal heartbeat. Heavy drinking that includes hard liquor and beer can increase a person’s risk of suffering from heart disease.
Measures people can take to decrease heart disease risks are consuming foods with omega-3s like fish, walnuts, chia seeds, and tofu because the best types of actions that can be taken to protect your heart health are the preventative kind.
