The main cause of death in the world is heart disease. Coronary heart disease and stroke both have a number of risk factors. Some risk variables, including age and family history, are immutable and uncontrollable. But other risk factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, being overweight, eating poorly, etc., can be reduced or controlled with medicine or by altering one’s lifestyle
You might wish to eliminate these foods from your diet if you want to keep your cardiovascular system in good health for years to come.
According to Medicalnewstoday, the following foods can slowly damage your heart over time.
Processed foods
Processed and cured meats contain a lot of saturated fat. Despite having little fat, these products include a substantial amount of salt.
More processed meat, unprocessed red meat, or poultry consumption, according Healthline, raises the risk of coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and death from heart and circulatory disease.
Fried foods.
Fried food consumption has been associated with a higher risk of heart disease. This is due to the high levels of saturated and trans fats found in fried foods, which promote the development of arterial plaque and hence increase the risk of heart failure, heart attack, stroke, and coronary artery disease.
Fried food consumption increases the risk of coronary heart disease by 22% and the risk of heart failure by 37%, respectively.
Salty foods
Salt is created by combining sodium and chloride. A diet heavy in salt can lead to hypertension. High blood pressure is a substantial risk factor for heart diseases. In order to avoid issues, it’s critical to monitor the amount of salt in your diet.
The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests consuming 5 g of salt each day.
Sugary Foods.
Sugar can cause inflammation throughout the body. Consuming a lot of sugar may lead to chronic inflammation. The risk of heart disease may rise as a result of this stress on the heart and blood vessels.
Sugar consumption causes insulin levels to increase, which then sets off the sympathetic nervous system. As a result, both the heart rate and blood pressure rise.
Foods high in saturated and trans fats.
The American Heart Association advises that only 5-6% of a person’s daily caloric intake should come from saturated fat.
Regular consumption of saturated fats may increase LDL cholesterol levels in the blood (low-density lipoprotein). A higher risk of heart disease and stroke is linked to high LDL cholesterol levels.
Consuming trans fats lowers HDL cholesterol while raising LDL cholesterol. Combining high LDL and low HDL levels may lead to a buildup of cholesterol in the arteries. As a result, there is an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.