A cardiologist has revealed there are six common foods that have snuck into the American diet that we should all be avoiding to protect our hearts.
Keeping our tickers ticking should be a concern for all of us considering heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the CDC, more than cancer, accidental injury and Alzheimer’s disease and killing someone every 33 seconds.
It’s no secret that what we eat and what we do, like eating more vegetables and picking up regular exercise, can play a huge part in maintaining good health. But did you know our lifestyle choices and the food we consume could be actively hampering your efforts?
Help your heart out by avoiding these six foods (Getty Images)
Things like stress, poor sleep, a sedentary lifestyle and even a lack of sunlight and socialization can all play a part.
However, Doctor Wen-Chih Wu, director of the Brown University Health Cardiovascular Wellness and Prevention Centre in Rhode Island, has revealed cardiologists agree there are six foods you should consider ‘avoiding’ entirely.
So let’s get into it.
Fried food
While they taste nice, french fries, along with its other fried friends like fried chicken, aren’t exactly nice to our hearts.
Dr Wu explained that’s because fried food contains ‘high levels of saturated fat and trans fats’ which, alone, are bad enough for heart health.
However, fries are also often laden with salt, ‘another threat to your cardiovascular health’, he added.
Heart-friendly fries can be made at home with home-baked potato sprinkled with olive oil.
Bacon and sausages make the perfect breakfast companion, but aren’t good for our hearts (Getty Images)
Bacon, sausages and red meat
Red meat is a great source of protein and nutrients, and you might need more of it if you have an iron deficiency.
However, eating too much could be a fast-track ticket to greater problems with your heart.
The doctor warns red meat like beef, veal and lamb are high in cholesterol and saturated fat, with the worst offenders being sausages and bacon.
Mr Wu said: “So before you dig into a juicy T-bone steak, keep in mind that animal fat found in red meat is especially bad for your heart and arteries, and should be limited to a small percentage of your overall diet.”
“[B]acon is not only loaded with saturated fat,” he continued, “but also contains high amounts of sodium, both of which are linked to increased risk for heart disease.”
“The same is true for frankfurters and deli meats such as salami, ham, and pastrami.”
The doc recommended making some healthy swaps to chicken, turkey, fish, seafood, tofu, lentils, chickpeas or black beans and limiting hot dogs to, say, a baseball game for a treat.
The doc recommends swapping your full-fat milk with a dairy-free alternative like oat or almond milk (Getty Images)
Dairy
Dr Wu said it’s time to pass on the ‘whole’ full-fat dairy products ‘for your heart’s sake.’
Low-fat milk, yoghurt and cheese will help to reduce fat intake while reaping the dairy benefits.
“When it comes to milk, you might even want to try non-dairy milk alternatives such as almond or oat milk. These products offer the creamy texture of milk with delicious flavour but none of the animal fat that can increase your risk for heart disease,” the doctor said.
Sugar and cookies
The American diet is considered one of the worst in the world due to a killer combo of highly processed food, saturated fat and excessive sugar, which is literally killing us through diabetes and other chronic diseases.
That’s because too much of the sweet stuff is a recipe for disaster on the heart as excessive sugar intake tips the scales, leading to high blood pressure and obesity, the doctor warns.
We know cookies and baked treats like pastries aren’t really good for us with high amounts of both sugar and fats, but there’s also a surprising amount of added sugar in our food and drink, like cereal and energy drinks.
Dr Wu says weight gain is bad for the heart while sugar can also clog up our arteries with ‘increased levels of triglycerides and a type of cholesterol known as LDL’ as well as causing inflammation in the body.
Excessive sugar and salt won’t help our waistlines or our heart health (Getty Images)
Snacks like chips
Sugar’s partner in crime is its savoury counterparts, like crisps and other snacky foods.
Dr Wu said: “They don’t call it junk food for nothing! Those bags of potato chips and their counterparts like nacho chips and cheese curls are highly processed foods that are fried and filled with additives along with high amounts of sodium.
“There’s really nothing healthy about them,” he continued. “They can contribute to weight gain, heart disease, and increased risk of stroke. If you’re having a snack attack, skip the chips and instead go for a handful of nuts, seeds, or dried fruit chips.”
The doctor concluded: “When it comes to food choices, focus on nutritional foods that help your heart keep beating and avoid those that can prevent it from doing its job.”
Expert reveals one meal you should never skip if you want to live a longer life
You can live longer by incorporating this meal every day
A wellbeing expert has revealed several easy diet hacks that can help you live longer – and warns there’s one meal you should never skip.
It goes without saying, maintaining a balanced diet is the key living healthy – and living longer – but what actually does that entail?
Diet culture and social media influencers can sometimes give us conflicting and misleading advice that steers us away from what Nicci Roscoe, an expert in holistic wellbeing and Master NLP Practitioner, describes as the fundamentals.
Don’t skip this meal if you want to live a long and healthy life (Getty Images)
Roscoe says it’s all about ‘moderation’, meaning not a total restriction on certain foods, and recognizes it’s normal for us to have ‘moments of indulging every so often’, but that the food and drink we consume can play a ‘crucial role’ in our health and lifespans.
So what is the hack to a healthy well-balanced diet?
Rainbow foods
Roscoe said: “Having a combination of rainbow colours in your food is key to a healthy balanced diet. It’s important to have a good balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fats.”
The pro says to eat a variety of healthy colored foods (Getty Images)
Wholegrain
The pro explained wholegrains, like whole wheat, brown rice, oats and quinoa, are fibre-rich which can lower the risk of chronic diseases.
Roscoe advises to swap white pasta to brown and make other similar healthy swaps to reap its benefits.
Plan for three square meals
We’ve all been there – when you’re rushing for work and grab whatever your hands can reach for in the cupboards, or you settle with just a coffee to comfort your growling belly.
However, even if you don’t feel hungry first thing in the morning, Roscoe says it’s important to schedule breakfast.
“[N]o matter how busy you are it’s important to start the day off right with a decent breakfast,” she explained.
“Eating breakfast helps to kickstart your metabolism and stave off cravings, and it needn’t be an elaborate affair.”
On her list of ideas for a suitable breakfast include muesli, chia seed puddings and overnight oats soaked in yoghurt or milk with sees, berries, natural yoghurt and honey – which can easily be grabbed for on-the-go.
She added: “By planning, preparing your food the day before gives you a much healthier option.”
Batch cooking and preparing meals is a good way to prioritize health and save money in the process (Getty Images)
Batch cook
On the subject of planning ahead, Roscoe recommends batch cooking meals ahead of time, which can also save money.
Just a couple of hours on a weekend can be dedicated to making healthy meals for the week – which means you’re less likely to grab fast food or other fat-heavy items on the shelves when hunger strikes.
Reduce sugar
The American diet is considered one of the worst in the world due to a killer combo of highly processed foods, saturated fat and excessive sugar, which is quite literally killing us through diabetes and other chronic diseases.
Roscoe says this is why we should try to hit our sugary cravings on the head and opt for fruit instead.
“[Fruit] may have sugar in them but they’re not the same as consuming packets of sweets and bars of chocolate,” she continued, as they are “high in fibre, rich in antioxidants and vitamin C and help lower blood pressure and cholesterol.”
The American diet isn’t exactly colorful or good for us (Getty Images)
Prioritize protein
Protein sources are key to slamming the brakes on those tempting cravings and keeping us feeling fuller for longer.
Roscoe said: “Protein provides the building blocks for all the body’s processes.”
It’s even more important for people over the age of 40 as this is the point where ‘muscle mass beings to decline’ and has a domino-effect on health and wellbeing later on.
Think meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds – and including a portion of protein ‘with every meal’.
Coffee and water
Coffee or other caffeinated-drinks are also on Roscoe’s menu of items to avoid.
That’s because caffeine is a stimulant that interferes with sleep. And poor sleep can make us vulnerable to other chronic diseases.
Going cold turkey might be daunting, but Roscoe says it can be managed through regular steps – like switching to decaf and herbal tea.
Meanwhile, aim to drink one-and-a-half to two litres of water every day which the wellbeing adviser said can be achieved by setting a reminder on your phone every 30 minutes or by using a reusable water bottle.
Caffeine interferes with our sleep – and longevity (Getty Images)
Healthy fats and nuts
Not all fat is bad for us, in fact, the opposite is true when it comes to natural fats like avocados, nuts, seeds and oily fish, all of which work to promote heart health.
Roscoe added: “A healthy heart is a crucial factor in extending your lifespan, but the benefits of healthy fats don’t stop there. They also have anti-inflammatory properties which can positively influence your health and can help promote mental wellbeing as you age.”
Mindful eating
Finally, Roscoe advises mindful eating – where you’re ‘present in the moment’ during mealtimes ‘rather than eating on autopilot or being distracted’.
