What you eat and drink play a key role in your heart health.
Here are 5 food items, you should definitely avoid to protect your heart and prevent heart diseases:
Soda
Soft drinks and sugary drinks increase the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions. According to a study which followed 40,000 men for a period of 20 years, those who drank an average of one can of sugary beverage a day were at a 20% greater risk of having a heart attack.
Fast Food
Food that is prepared quickly and consumed quickly is generally referred to as fast food. Although there a few fast food options that can be considered healthy, most are still nothing but “junk food”.
Those who consume fast food more than once a week are at a higher risk of obesity, and those who consume fast food more than twice a week are at a higher risk of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and death from coronary heart disease.
Fried Foods
Fried foods are OK if consumed once in a while, but not everyday or on a weekly basis.
According to a study, those who consumed fried foods one to three times a week were found to be at an 18% percent increased risk of developing heart failure, and the risk grew higher in those who consumed it more frequently – 25% in those who consumed it four to six times a week and 68% in those who consumed it seven times or more.
Processed Meat
Any meat that has been preserved by smoking, curing, salting, or by adding chemical preservatives such as nitrates is known as processed meat. Hot dogs, bacon, sausage, and cold cuts are all processed meat types and are said to increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
According to a study by Harvard School of Public Health, one serving a day of processed meat (the equivalent of one hot dog or two slices of salami) was associated with a 42% increased risk of heart disease and a 19% increased risk for diabetes.
Table Salt
According to WHO, adults should consume less than 5g (under a teaspoon) of salt per day as high sodium consumption and insufficient potassium intake will contribute to high blood pressure and increases the risk of heart disease.
To know about food that your heart will love, read our article “Eat your Way to a Healthy Heart”.
