10 Worst Foods For Your Heart

Our heart works non-stop throughout our lives. Thus, for a healthy life, it is important for us to take care of our heart. All the while, heart diseases still happen to be the leading cause of death in India. What if we told you that what you've been eating might become the cause of your heart malfunction? What we eat and drink can save us from various heart problems and other health issues. Improving our diets can help lower the risk of high cholesterol and blood pressure.

With that in mind, we have compiled a list of 10 food items, you should definitely avoid to have a healthy heart and prevent heart diseases.

1. Potato and Corn Chips

Potato and corn chips abound in of trans-fats, sodium, and carbs, too much of which is actually very bad for the health of our hearts. Studies show that people who consume more than 2000 mg of sodium per day account for about 1 in 10 cardiovascular deaths. Potato and corn chips are full of saturated fat which causes our abdomen to expand. At the same time, it has a lot of salt which can cause several heart diseases if taken in excess.

2. Energy Drinks

Energy drinks contain ingredients like guarana and taurine, the natural energy boosters. When these are mixed with caffeine it can cause racing heartbeats. The energy drinks contain such a high amount of caffeine that it can even cause arrhythmia.

Drinking soda can cause inflammation and raise blood sugar levels. It puts a lot of stress on the walls of the arteries and increases the risk of heart diseases. Including high amounts of soda in your life regularly can actually prove to be fatal for health.

Blended coffee abounds in calories and fats. It is overloaded with sugar and can cause the blood sugar level to heighten. The caffeine present in these coffees can also increase our blood pressure levels and are really bad for both diabetic and heart disease patients.
 

Fried food anyway has a lot of trans fat which is bad for the cholesterol. It is not only bad for our heart but also bad for our waistline. It brings oxidants in our system which is the enemy of antioxidants. Deep frying involves hot oil that causes changes in the structure of vitamins and antioxidants and produce cell-damaging oxidants.

6. Pizza

Pizza is a home for fats and sodium. The crust has high levels of carbs and sodium. The cheese present in the pizza contributes more to the level sodium in the pizza and adds a lot of fat to it. The sauce in which the pizza is prepared also has high sodium content. This can lead to having clogged arteries. The usage of whole wheat crust and olive oil in the pizza helps.

Margarine is a butter alternative which is often made with partially-hydrogenated oils which happens to be a source of trans-fats which raises the cholesterol level in our body. This is not only bad for our heart but it also accelerates our skin's aging process. We can switch this kind of food with olive oil for a healthier diet.

8. Chinese Food

Chinese food is known to be full of calories, fat, sodium, and carbs. It can spike the level of blood sugar in our body and can keep it elevated for an elongated period of time.

This food is every college student's best friend. At the same time it can prove to be fatal to the health of those who consume it regularly. First of all, the noodles are deep fried, which by now, we know isn't at all good for our heart. Not only that, but it also abounds in salt. Studies show that a typical packet of ramen has 875 mg of sodium that is actually equal to our sodium intake in a day! Too much salt can cause our blood pressure to spike up which puts a lot of pressure on our heart.

Red meat contains a lot of saturated fats, cholesterol, and salt. It is thus advisable to limit the intake of red meat to only once a month. And even when we do eat red meat, it is best to go for top roast, top sirloin, and sirloin tips. While we should use spices and herbs for flavor, steer clear of butter and cream.