5 Foods That Are Unhealthy For Your Heart

Obesity or being overweight is a problem that affects a lot of people in developed countries today. This is due to unhealthy eating habits and consumption of junk foods and fast food that are rich in trans and saturated fats. If you want to keep your heart healthy and going, then you have to minimize the intake of fatty foods. The following are some of the foods that one must avoid to keep a healthy heart:

1. Restaurant fried foods: The quality of the oil used to cook foods in restaurants is not very high and is unhealthy for our heart. Most of these foods contain Trans fats, which are bad for your heart. There are a few restaurants that are switching to trans- fat free oils but you could ask what kind of food is used to cook the food. If you are not sure of the quality, then avoid eating foods at such places. Fried foods are generally high in fat content. It is wiser and healthier to eat something like vegetables, broccoli, beans, fresh foods of beans and desserts without pastries.

2. Full Fat Milk: There are versions of milk that are lower in fat, while retaining the rest of the nutrients available now. A lot of people are switching to these. Full fat milk, on an everyday basis can cause a lot of damage to the heart due to the accumulation of fats in the blood vessels, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

3. High- sodium content processed foods: As the food industry is becoming market-oriented, there are a lot of food items available in the markets. This increases the dependence on processed foods. Processed or packed foods such as canned soups, packed snacks and frozen meals, are high in sodium content. Choose home made and fresh foods such as homemade baked items, fresh fruits, simple meals, whole grains, seeds and nuts over the packaged processed food items.

4. Processed food items containing Trans fats: Trans fats are commonly found in many processed foods. These Trans fats can raise the risk of heart disease. Trans fats can be harmful even in small quantities. Some foods may boast zero Trans fats but may contain hydrogenated vegetable oils, which contain Trans fats. Hence, do not trust an item to be free of Trans fats unless they do not contain hydrogenated vegetable oils. Some of the foods rich in Trans fats are baked goods, margarines, microwave popcorn, frozen vegetable and packaged pie crust. One should avoid bakery items as small bakeries may use Trans fats containing oils.

5. Soft Drinks: Regular everyday consumption of soft drinks can increase your risk of heart disease. Soft drinks are high in sugar content, which provides only calories and no other nutrients to your body. You can use water or milk with meals or to quench your thirst instead of soft drinks. Thus, you will not intake extra calories in the form of soft drinks but will do so only with healthier foods.