Introduction
Eating healthy is essential for maintaining a healthy heart. Unfortunately, many of us have unhealthy eating habits that can lead to heart disease. In this article, we will discuss the #1 worst eating habit for your heart, according to a cardiologist. We will also provide tips on what to eat instead of this unhealthy habit. By making small changes to your diet, you can help protect your heart and reduce your risk of heart disease.
The #1 Worst Eating Habit for Your Heart, Says Cardiologist — Eat This Not That
If you’re looking to keep your heart healthy, it’s important to pay attention to what you eat. According to cardiologists, there is one eating habit that is particularly bad for your heart health: eating too much processed food.
Processed foods are those that have been altered from their natural state, such as canned or frozen foods, or those that have been heavily processed, such as chips, crackers, and other snacks. These foods are often high in sodium, sugar, and unhealthy fats, which can increase your risk of heart disease.
Instead of eating processed foods, cardiologists recommend eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. These foods are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which can help keep your heart healthy and reduce your risk of heart disease.
In addition to eating a healthy diet, it’s also important to get regular exercise and maintain a healthy weight. These lifestyle changes can help reduce your risk of heart disease and keep your heart healthy.
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in our country, and it has so many of us asking, “what can we do to prevent this”?
The CDC says high blood pressure and cholesterol, smoking, excessive alcohol use, inactivity, and an unhealthy diet are all serious risk factors for heart disease. But when it comes to an “unhealthy diet,” how do we know which foods are good for your heart, and which aren’t?
According to Dr. Arash Bereliani, a cardiologist with over 25 years of experience and founder of B-100 Method (an at-home heart health test), the worst eating habit for your heart is eating processed foods, especially processed meats.
“The problem with processed meat is that it’s quick and easy, making it a natural choice for busy people on the go. And while that bacon does taste good, it damages your heart,” says Dr. Bereliani.
There really aren’t many positive outcomes when it comes to eating ultra-processed foods. They’re affordable and easy to grab when you’re in a hurry, but research has shown that these foods can lead to many serious health complications.
Two recent European studies found in the British Medical Journal found that eating more processed foods was associated with a greater risk of mortality, coronary heart disease, and overall cardiovascular disease.
While it’s all processed foods that we should be cautious of, Dr. Bereliani warns that processed meats (which include sausage, bacon, deli meat, and hot dogs) are especially dangerous because of their sodium content.
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“Processed meats are not only high in salt, but also contain sodium nitrite, which is an additional source of sodium,” says Dr. Bereliani. “Sodium nitrite is a proven trigger of inflammation, which causes atherosclerosis (cholesterol plaque build-up in the artery walls), as well as being a known carcinogen.”
In fact, he notes that “processed meats contain an average of 8 to 11 times more sodium than comparable fresh meats.”
Dr. Bereliani certainly isn’t the only expert who warns against the risks of processed meat. The University of Oxford put together a review of 13 cohort studies related to this topic and discovered that not only does regularly eating processed meat increase your risk of coronary heart disease by 18%, but the increase was also two times higher than the risks associated with unprocessed red meat (like beef and pork).
While this news may be disappointing to bacon lovers out there, you don’t have to give up delicious meat products altogether.
“I recommend that you opt for fresh meat products, but if you insist on eating processed meat, look for nitrite-free versions and limit yourself to 3 ounces per serving no more than once a month,” says Dr. Bereliani. “Be sure to eat double the amount in fiber to help break down all the bad stuff in processed foods.”
Dr. Bereliani’s rule of thumb when it comes to heart-healthy foods? “Stay away from anything packaged and opt for fresh. Your heart will thank you.”
For more heart-healthy tips, check out The Best Foods to Eat for Your Heart.