Sugar, Salt, Fat
Over time, high amounts of salt, sugar, saturated fat, and
refined carbs raise your risk for a heart attack or stroke. If you’re worried
about your heart, you’ll want to keep these out of regular rotation.
But rather than fixate on any one bad food, it’s wise to
focus on your overall diet. You can still have these things if you mostly eat
heart-healthy fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat
dairy.
Bacon
More than half of bacon’s calories come from saturated fat,
which can raise your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or bad cholesterol, and
boost your chance of a heart attack or stroke. It’s full of salt, which bumps
up your blood pressure and makes your heart work harder. High amounts of sodium
(the main part of salt) can lead to stroke, heart disease, and heart failure.
Bacon’s added preservatives are linked to these issues as well.
Red Meat
Eating too much beef, lamb, and pork may raise your odds for
heart disease and diabetes. It may be because they’re high in saturated fat,
which can boost cholesterol. More recent studies point to how gut bacteria
process a part of the meat called L-carnitine. Limit your portions. Also, look
for lean cuts like round, sirloin, and extra-lean ground beef.
Soda
Having small amounts of added sugar isn’t harmful, but a can
of soda has more added sugar than experts recommend for a whole day. Soda
drinkers tend to gain more weight and are more likely to be obese and have type
2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. And while the science is
still fuzzy on diet drinks, some research links them to weight gain and
strokes. Your best bet is plain, carbonated, or unsweetened flavored water.
Baked Goods
Cookies, cakes, and muffins should be rare treats. They’re
typically loaded with added sugar, which leads to weight gain. They’re also
linked to higher triglyceride levels, and that can lead to heart disease. Their
main ingredient is usually white flour, which may spike your blood sugar and
make you hungrier. Make healthier treats: Swap in whole-wheat flour, trim the
sugar, and use liquid plant oils instead of butter or shortening.
Processed Meats
Hot dogs, sausage, salami, and lunch meat are the worst
types of meats for your heart. They have high amounts of salt, and most are
high in saturated fat. When it comes to deli meats, turkey is better for you
than salami because it doesn’t have the saturated fat. But it still has a fair
amount of sodium, so it isn’t as heart healthy as fresh sliced turkey breast.
White Rice, Bread,
and Pasta
Rice, bread, pasta, and snacks made from white flour are
missing their healthy fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Refined grains quickly
convert to sugar, which your body stores as fat. A diet high in refined grains
can cause belly fat, which studies link to heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Try to get at least half your grains from whole grains like brown rice, oats,
and whole wheat. When you shop, look for the words "100% whole grain."
Pizza
Pizza can be healthy if you make it the right way, but most
take-out pizza and frozen pies have staggering amounts of sodium, fat, and
calories, all of which can raise your risk of a heart attack. When you order
out, opt for a thin crust (whole wheat if possible), ask for less cheese, pile
on the veggies, and skip the pepperoni or sausage, which are loaded with salt.
For the most heart-healthy pizza, make it yourself.
Alcohol
Moderate drinking won’t harm your heart unless you have high
blood pressure or high triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood that can
boost your odds of heart disease. 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 fat, which can raise your bad
cholesterol and make heart disease more likely. You're better off to replace
butter with olive oil or vegetable oil-based spreads, which contain
heart-healthy mono- and polyunsaturated fats. If you have high cholesterol, a
spread with stanol is even better. Regular use can help lower your LDL
cholesterol levels.
Flavored, Full-Fat
Yogurt
Yogurt can be a super source of nutrition. Eating it
regularly might protect you from high blood pressure. But watch the kind you
buy. Flavored 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 flavor.
French Fries
The deep-fried potatoes from restaurants and fast-food places
have lots of fat and salt, which is bad news for your heart. One study found
that people who ate French fries or hash browns 2 to 3 times a week were more
likely to die early. 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 adds calories, fat, and sodium to an
otherwise healthy food. Studies have linked fried food with type 2 diabetes,
obesity, and high blood pressure -- all of which raise your odds of heart
failure. For a crispy but healthier choice, bread skinless chicken breasts in
whole-wheat flour and bake instead of frying.
Canned Soup
Soup can be an easy way to get more vegetables, protein, and
fiber. But watch out for unhealthy ingredients. 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
The main ingredients of this popular dressing are typically
buttermilk, salt, and sugar. This makes it high in fat, sodium, and calories.
None of that’s good for your heart. You can make a healthier version of your
favorite 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, calories, and saturated fat, so
save it for a special treat. Eating foods loaded with fat and sugar leads to
weight gain. It can also drive up your triglycerides and lead to a heart
attack. 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
Potato chips are one of the foods that contribute most to
weight gain. And not only are they loaded with saturated fat, but they’re also
covered in salt -- which is also linked to heart disease. Skip the lower-sodium
or low-fat potato chips. They’ll just leave you hungry again. 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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