The Worst Foods for Your Heart
When it comes to your heart health, you shouldn't be playing around. You can literally have a heart attack and die! So, today, you'll learn what foods to avoid, and what to eat.
You must be aware of what you're consuming, and how much of it. Fast foods, junk foods, and processed foods are loaded with salt/sodium, sugar, saturated fats, and refined carbs can increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
"smoking, being inactive, carrying too many pounds, eating poorly, and drinking too much alcohol."
These foods are the Worst for Heart Health
"The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fats – which are found in butter, cheese, red meat, and other animal-based foods, and tropical oils. Decades of sound science has proven it can raise your “bad” cholesterol and put you at higher risk for heart disease."
Types of Fats To Avoid
Trans fats are the worst type of fat for the heart, blood vessels, and the rest of the body.
The more trans fats eaten, the greater the risk of heart and blood vessel disease.
Foods with Trans fat are less likely to spoil, so foods made with it have a longer shelf life. Some restaurants use partially hydrogenated vegetable oil in their deep fryers because it doesn't have to be changed as often as other oils.
Trans fats increase LDL cholesterol and decrease HDL cholesterol, which can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Like all fats, trans fat contains 9 calories per gram. Consuming a lot of fat can lead to unwanted weight gain. Excess weight increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems.
Fats To Go About
Unsaturated fats
Unsaturated fats, which are liquid at room temperature, are considered beneficial fats because they can improve blood cholesterol levels, ease inflammation, stabilize heart rhythms, and play a number of other beneficial roles.
Seafood, nuts, and seeds are beneficial foods to consume. They contain omega-3 fats and other unsaturated foods. Salmon, tuna, fatty fish, walnuts, flax seeds, nuts, and avocados.
Red meat, butter, cheese, ice cream, and pastries/refined grains are all bad!
Limit your intake of saturated fats. The junky ice cream like [saturated] fats. These cause harm to the health like trans fat. Avoid foods like Pizza, dairy desserts, pastries/cookies, and fast foods.
A healthy eating plan includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein.
How trans fats harm you
Doctors worry about added trans fats because they increase the risk of heart attacks, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Trans fats also have an unhealthy effect on cholesterol levels.
Trans fats increase LDL cholesterol and decrease HDL cholesterol, which can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Trans fats are found in many processed and packaged foods. Note that these foods are often low in nutrients and have extra calories from both fat and sugar:
"Replace foods high in trans and saturated fats with foods that have polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats."
TOP WORST FOODS FOR THE HEART
"trans fats increases the risk of heart disease, the leading killer of adults. "
10 Worst Foods for the human heart's health
Soda
Sodas are bad. They're loaded with an excessive amount of sugar. Which can lead to obesity, high blood pressure, and overall damage to the heart - this is a no-go. People end up consuming large amounts of sodas - on a daily basis. Imagine how your heart and health is doing.
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, which 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
Most processed meats from the Deli contain High amounts of salt and saturated fat.
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."
Butter
Butter is high in saturated fat, which can raise your bad cholesterol and make heart disease more likely. You're better off replacing 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.
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.
PIZZA
Pizza is absolutely harmful to the human body's health. Pizza is loaded with salt/sodium, cheese, a lot of it, and bad fats.
Fried Chicken
Deep-frying chicken adds calories, fat, and sodium to 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.
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, 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.
Here are recommendations from the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans:
- You should get no more than 25% to 30% of your daily calories from fats.
- You should limit saturated fat to less than 10% of your daily calories.
- You should use nutrition facts labels to select foods with no trans fat whenever possible.