We all agree that onehealthy eatingwith plenty of fruit and vegetables, which should also be balanced and balanced, which is the basis for our health and, among other things, well-functioning organs. But every organ needs different nutrients and today we would like to focus specifically on the heart. What is good for the heart and cardiovascular system or which products should you avoid for a heart-healthy diet? Find out here!
Over time, the recommendations for an ideal diet that is good for our bodies change again and again. There are also a variety of diets that promise a great figure. All of this causes confusion: what can and should you eat?what should you avoid?and which foods are good for the heart and cardiovascular system?
In principle, as long as you rely on vegetables, fruit, whole grains, lean meat and low-fat dairy products, you can't go wrong. For a heart-healthy diet, you should specifically avoid foods that contain a lot of sodium, i.e. salt, added sugar and saturated fatty acids, as well as heavily processed products that are fried or even fried in a lot of fat.
Below we explain why such foods are harmful to heart health and are not suitable for a heart-healthy diet.
Sodium (salt) in moderation for a healthy heart
Too much saltincreases blood pressure, which in turn increases the risk of heart attacks, kidney failure and even vision loss over time, according to the American Heart Association. The reason for this is that it causes the body to retain more water, making it harder for the heart to work properly, as a 2019 article on sodium explains.
The ideal blood pressure, which can of course vary from person to person, is 120/80 or slightly below. If it is 140/90 or even higher, it is considered too high. The disturbing thing is that a whopping 33% of Americans, according to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention suffer.
Avoid:
- processed meat (preserved in cans or jars, dried meat)
- Fast Food
- salty snacks like chips, cookies and crackers, or pretzels
- frozen ready-made food
- processed cheese
Bad for the heart – foods with added sugar
That additionallysweetened foodsare not good for your health is nothing new. However, they also have a negative effect specifically on the heart. A 2014 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that people whose calorie intake consisted of 17 to 21 percent added sugar were 38 percent more likely to die from heart disease. In comparison, the risk was much lower for those study participants who only got 8% of their calories from added sugar.
But what does this have to do with the heart? Scientists aren't entirely sure here, but they suspect that sugar not only leads to weight gain, but also increases blood pressure and worsens inflammation in the body, all of which in turn promotes the development of heart disease.
For a heart-healthy diet, experts therefore recommend that women consume no more than 6 teaspoons (equivalent to around 100 calories) of additional sugar and men no more than 9 teaspoons (around 150 calories), which is a total of around 5 to 7% of the daily requirement calories.
If you want to eat healthy for your heart, avoid:
- sweetened drinks, including all types of soda (e.g. cola), sweetened tea and coffee
- sweets
- Desserts
- Seasoning sauces, such as ketchup or barbecue sauces
- processed foods, such as soups, cereals and granola bars and frozen ready-to-eat foods
Fried food and fast food
In general, there is nothing positive to say about fried food. But fried chicken and fish are particularly linked to an increased risk of death from heart disease, according to a 2019 study published in The BMJ. The reason for this is the oil used. Since you usually eat fried food away from home, you can never know what type of oil is used to prepare it. Some of them, includingthe controversial palm oil, form carcinogenic substances due to the heat.
Furthermore, it is no secret that the oil is usually used several times. However, a 2016 study published in “Toxicology Reports” states that frequent and prolonged heating of oil releases aggressive free radicals that, among other things, destroy blood vessels. In addition, fried foods contain salt,what for the heartis harmful, as we have already explained.
Therefore, reduce the consumption of:
- fried meats, such as chicken nuggets and fish
- fried finger food, such as fries, onion rings, cheese
- fried potato chips and tortillas
- fried pastries, such as donuts, Berliners, shortbread cakes, etc
Heart-healthy diet without saturated fat
Saturated fatty acids are not directly harmful to the heart, but they promote the development of diabetes because they dobad cholesterol(LDL) increased. This cholesterol accumulates on the walls of the arteries and can permanently block them. It is therefore advisable to reduce consumption and replace it with polyunsaturated fatty acids for a heart-healthy diet. These are found in avocados, fish and flax seeds, among other things, and, according to Harvard Health Publishing, even reduce the risk of heart disease.
Products that are high in saturated fat and should be reduced include:
- Palm oil and coconut oil
- Butter
- Cheese
- fried food
- animal fat, such as lard, beef fat, or fat in chicken skin
Highly processed and refined grains
September 2019 published in the “Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Innovations, Quality, and Outcomes” found that refined grains increase the risk of heart disease. This is partly because there are only a few of themContain fiber, which, according to experts, not only regulate the glucose balance in the body, but also lower cholesterol. So fiber is good for the heart. On the other hand, refined grains often contain added sugar, which, as already mentioned, is not good food for the heart.
But that doesn't mean you have to give up grains completely. Simply reduce the amount and consume heart-strengthening foods with whole grains instead. Fifty-fifty is the key word here, so to speak. So you can keep snacking on rice if you are a fan of it. Simply reduce the quantity and replace it with brown rice every now and then, for example. Also withQuinoa can be good foodprepared for the heart and is therefore a great substitute for refined grains.
This type of grain is contained in:
- White bread
- white rice
- Cookies and crackers
- Pastries with white flour
Sources and study articles:
PossibleConsequences of high blood pressure according to the American Heart Association;Articlefrom 2019 about sodium(Salt);High blood pressure figures in the USAaccording to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention;You can find the study from the Journal of the American Medical Association on added sugarhere;Study from the BMJ;Study forfrequent heating of vegetable oil;Harvard Health Publishingabout good and bad fat;Article ofMayo Clinic Proceedings: Innovations, Quality, and Outcomes
