ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Junk food, red meat, sugars are well known to be bad for your heart and health. There are some foods you would never have thought could be harmful for your heart.
The cool and refreshing taste of soda can tingle your taste buds, but the added sugars are terrible for your health. Diet soda may seem like a good alternative with zero sugars and calories, but …
As Amy Crawford Faucher, MD, Primary Care-Family Medicine explains, “There has been some information that shows that actually making that switch doesn’t help as much as you think it should.”
A study out of France found that regular consumption of artificially sweetened drinks, such as diet soda, increases you risk for heart disease by 20 percent compared to non-drinkers. A different study found your risk for diabetes increased by 67 percent. Another surprising food – chicken. It has long been thought to be a healthy alternative to red meat, but chickens today contain as much as 10 times the fat compared to chickens from a century ago, giving them similar levels of saturated fat to beef. These saturated fats can increase your risk for high cholesterol.
Kristi Fitzgerald, Genetic Counselor at Nemours duPont Hospital says, “It puts people at risk for premature cardiovascular diseases like heart attack and stroke and can be lethal.”
That’s why the American Heart Association recommends limiting even lean cuts of beef or skinless chicken to less than six ounces a day. And, think margarine is better than butter? Think again! Margarine contains trans fats, which raises bad cholesterol and lowers good cholesterol, increasing your risk for heart disease. Olive oil and avocado oil are much healthier alternatives.
One more food that’s not as heart healthy: energy bars. Many energy bars contain ultra-processed foods such as corn syrups, citric acids, and added sugars, which can increase risk for heart disease.
Contributors to this news report include: Milvionne Chery, Producer; Roque Correa, Editor.
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/26/health/diet-drinks-bad-for-heart-wellness/index.html
https://www.steponefoods.com/blogs/news/5-surprising-foods-that-are-bad-for-your-heart
https://www.healthline.com/health/high-cholesterol/chicken-vs-beef#Cooking-with-less-cholesterol
https://www.eatthis.com/worst-foods-damaging-heart/
SURPRISING FOODS THAT ARE BAD FOR YOUR HEART
REPORT #3050
BACKGROUND: Heart disease is a significant health concern and a leading cause of death globally. An estimated 17.9 million people die each year from cardiovascular diseases, which includes heart disease and stroke. Maintaining good heart health is crucial for reducing the risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions. Someone in the United States has a heart attack every 40 seconds and every year around 805,000 people suffer from a heart attack. One in five heart attacks are silent, meaning damage is taking place but the person is not aware of it. There are many steps you can take through diet control though to protect yourself from risk of heart issues. According to the Cleveland clinic, 90 percent of heart disease and heart related issues could be better controlled and managed through diet and lifestyle changes.
(Source: https://www.who.int/health-topics/cardiovascular-diseases#tab=tab_1
THE STUDY: There are several foods that may seem healthy but can have a negative impact on heart health. Many foods that appear healthy can actually be detrimental to health when consumed too often or in large amounts. Foods such as granola bars, fruit juices, flavored yogurts, and canned soups are popular items people consume that all contain large amounts of sugar or sodium. They can all lead to high blood pressure and cardiovascular issues due to added sugars, salt, and cholesterol. Studies also show that overconsumption of zero calorie sweeteners can lead to a 20 percent increase in risk for heart disease. Fake sugars that contain sucralose can also increase risk of diabetes by over 50 percent. Consuming foods that are believed to be healthy such as chicken, are less healthy today than they were previously believed to be. Packaged chicken contains higher levels of fat than they used to and should be consumed with caution. They may contain saturated fats that can lead to cholesterol issues if over consumed.
(Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/18-surprising-foods-high-in-sugar
https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/26/health/diet-drinks-bad-for-heart-wellness/index.html
NEW REGULATIONS: The American Heart Association recommends limiting meats like beef and chicken to 6 ounces per day. This helps with portion control and portioning the amount of saturated fats and processed ingredients they can contain. Using regular butter in moderation has also been reported healthier for your heart in the long term as opposed to margarine. Paying attention to protein bars, energy bars, and granola bars are important for heart health as well. The bars can contain corn starches, added sugars, and added chemicals. These all are linked to an increased risk of heart disease. Packaging can be deceiving when purchasing sports bars. Experts always suggest making sure you can pronounce all ingredients listed on the box. If you cannot pronounce an ingredient, it is most likely an added chemical.
(Source: https://www.steponefoods.com/blogs/news/5-surprising-foods-that-are-bad-for-your-heart, https://www.healthline.com/health/high-cholesterol/chicken-vs-beef#Cooking-with-less-cholesterol
* For More Information, Contact:
Amy Crawford-Faucher, MD
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