Six foods that must be 'avoided at all costs' according to cardiologist
Starting the day with a hearty, meaty plate can feel great. Hitting the ground running with a gut full of proteins can make the rest of the day much easier to face.
However, they’re not a particularly healthy option, especially over the long-term.
Heart diseases are the world’s single-most lethal among men and women, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimating that they kill around 17.9 million people each year.
Our diets have a big role to play in our likelihood of developing heart problems, and a cardiologist Dr Lauren Baldwin has shared six different foods that should be “avoided at all costs” if you want to limit the risk.
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Let’s dive in.
Bacon, sausage and processed meats
It’s bad news for bacon sarnie munchers, and just about anyone who loves tucking into processed meats.
In her blog posted published on Orlando Health, Dr Baldwin said: "These foods don’t have a lot going for them, health-wise. Start with the fact that they are high in salt, which can be a major contributor to high blood pressure.
"These tasty foods are also high in saturated fats, which can increase your LDL cholesterol levels. Often referred to as 'bad cholesterol', this is the stuff that collects on the walls of your blood vessels, increasing your risk for heart attack and stroke.
"And finally, processed foods have a lot of free radicals, which can increase your risk for various types of cancer."
Crisps and other processed snacks
Sadly it doesn’t seem as though crisps aren’t likely to become healthy foods any time soon, and they’re in the same bracket as a few other processed snacks with high salt and fat content.
Baldwin described these foods as “empty calories”
“All you’re getting is calories without the vitamins, minerals and fibre your body is craving,” she said, adding that they don’t do much for satiety either.
"That’s a recipe for overeating, since you’ll still be hungry, even after finishing that bag.”
Fast food
You won’t be surprised to see the likes of McDonald’s, KFC and Burger King making the list, with fast food generally being a poor choice if you’re concerned about healthy eating.
"The key is to avoid having these foods as a regular part of your diet. Like some other foods on this list, they are high in sodium. But even worse is that many fast-food restaurants are still using trans fats," she said.
"These are the least healthy fats you can eat, since they raise your bad cholesterol levels, while also lowering your good cholesterol levels.
"One of the reasons these fats continue to be used – particularly with fried foods – is that they have a longer shelf life."
Red meat
Another foodstuff on Baldwin’s hit list is red meat, which has been shown to increase the risk of developing colon and bowel cancers.
She says that red meat, along with pork, is high in saturated fat and cholesterol too.
"Recent research also suggests that red meat carries nutrients that produce trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), when broken down by your gut,” she explained. “TMAO has been linked to increased risk for hardened arteries, heart attack and stroke."
Chicken and fish are good alternatives she says, and if you must have red meat then she recommends going for lean cuts where possible.
Sugary drinks
Pop drinks are packed with sugar that can increase your risk of developing diabetes. A knock-on from diabetes is a significantly increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
Essentially, high sugar content in your blood triggers large insulin releases. Over time, your body can become resistant to its own insulin, resulting in what’s known as type 2 diabetes.
"They’re loaded with sugar and high amounts of caffeine, which can cause heart palpitations (fluttering or fast-beating heart) and, in some cases, arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat)," she said.
Cinema popcorn
Not only is it bad for your wallet, but cinema popcorn is also bad news for your ticker.
"Along with being covered in salt, the stuff is often popped in coconut oil – high in saturated fats that can raise your bad cholesterol level,” Baldwin said.
"It’s even worse if you get it drenched in 'butter', which is usually something like butter-flavored palm oil, which gets you even more saturated fats. The large portion sizes don’t help, either.
"This isn’t to say that all popcorn is bad. You can make a healthy snack with air-popped popcorn. Just take it easy with the butter, salt and portion size."
So there you have it. Most of these won’t come as a surprise, of course, but it’s always good to get a reminder of why certain foods are best eaten as a rare treat rather than as part of your regular routine.
Rachael Davis