Heart Health: Foods that Harm and Foods that Heal
Written by: Grace Fetters
Graphics by: Jalysa Ellis
Heart Health Month
This month, The Public Health Record is focusing on Heart Health.
When we think about heart health, the first thing that comes to mind is exercise. While it is true that exercising is important for strengthening the heart and lowering blood pressure, eating heart-healthy foods can improve function a great deal. There are also certain foods that work against the heart by clogging arteries and raising cholesterol.
Let’s delve into some foods that cardiologists says can harm your heart, and foods that can heal it.
Fast Foods, Oils, Salty Foods, Sugary Foods, Processed Meats, Store-Bought Condiments, Citrus Fruits, Fatty Fish, Green-Leafy Vegetables, Whole Grain Breads and Cereals.
Fast Foods
Recent studies have shown that there is a association between eating fried foods frequently and developing an increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. While the research on the impact of fried foods remains ongoing, we can still find alternative methods to making fried foods healthier. For example, using less batter, air-frying, and frying foods in healthier oils are all ways to reduce the negative impact of fried foods.
Oils
Olive Oil is a much healthier alternative to peanut or canola oil. It is said that olives and olive oil can help with high blood cholesterol, breast cancer, inflammation, immunity, and weight gain. Olive oil has a high monounsaturated fat content which can help keep a diet heart healthy. It also contains antioxidants, which are important for reducing inflammation omega-3 fatty acids to reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Olive oil can be used as a replacement for other oils when frying, or it can be drizzled on top of pasta.
Salty Foods
Salt is incredibly important for the body to function properly, but the typical American diet involves consuming it in excess. Too much salt can cause the amount of water that our bodies retain to place pressure on the heart and blood vessels. Many store-bought foods contain way too much salt, far higher than the recommended daily amount. The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies established a daily Adequate Intake (AI) for sodium of 1,200 mg per day and a daily tolerable upper intake level of 2,300 mg for healthy adults.
By cooking more foods at home, we can control the amount of salt that gets added to our foods, making sure that we get our daily amount, but not exceed it.
Sugary Foods
While sugar is naturally occurring in many foods, high amounts of added processed sugar can be bad for the heart, and increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, oral health problems, and cancer. The American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 6-9 teaspoons of sugar a day.
It can be hard to cut back on sugar when we don’t know where it is found. A few common labels used for sugar are “high-fructose corn syrup”, “corn sweetener”, and “molasses”.
Most added sugar comes from drinks, but desserts, candies, and cereals are also common culprits. In order to reduce sugar consumption, try replacing sugar with fruit or unsweetened applesauce. You can also check out food labels for foods with less added sugar. Be careful of sugar substitutes. Try Agave Nectar or Monk Fruit!
Processed Meats
According to UCLA Health, processed meats are high in saturated fats and salt. Saturated fats raise cholesterol, and the high amounts of salt can increase blood pressure.
The researchers recommend limiting consumption of processed meats to the equivalent of five slices of bacon (or any deli meat) per week. While this might seem like a difficult goal to meet, there are ways to reduce consumption by substituting processed meats for healthier options.
For example, pairing vegetables with eggs for breakfast, replacing deli meats with chicken or fish, and exploring other protein alternatives like tofu, paneer, and hummus.
Store-Bought Condiments
According to the American Heart Association, many condiments, like ketchup, hot sauce, salad dressings, and soy sauce, are extremely high in salt and sugar. As mentioned above, high sugar consumption can increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease, and high salt consumption can increase blood pressure. Condiments made at home, or low-sodium store-bought condiments are a much better alternative.
Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits are known to have many benefits, like being rich in vitamin C and other macronutrients, including sugars, dietary fiber, potassium, folate, calcium, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, riboflavin and pantothenic acid.
In addition to this, they do plenty for the heart. They are known to increase the amount of good cholesterol while reducing the amount of bad cholesterol. Compounds found in citrus fruits are also known to be anti-inflammatory and contain antioxidants. If you are not in the mood to eat an orange, you can increase your citrus consumption with infused water or as an ingredient in a yummy dessert!
Fatty Fish
Fatty fish contains Omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to work to lower blood pressure, triglycerides, and decrease the risk of irregular heartbeats. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends eating two servings of fatty fish in a week.
Choose these fish: salmon, mackerel, trout, halibut, bluefish, ocean perch, bass, red snapper, smelts, sardines, cod, herring, and anchovies.
Limit these fish: tuna, shark, king mackerel, tilefish, and swordfish, as they are high in mercury.
Non-fish ways to get Omega-3 are supplements, chia seeds, walnuts, and soybeans.
Green, Leafy Vegetables
Eating one cup of green, leafy vegetables every day has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease. Even cooked vegetables still contain many of the vitamins and minerals that make these foods so valuable. Green, leafy vegetables can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
Examples of green, leafy vegetables include spinach, kale, parsley, and arugula.
Other than salads, these foods can be added to your diet through soup, smoothies, and as toppings on sandwiches and pizzas.
Whole Grain Breads and Cereals
Whole grains are different from refined grains because they still contain the bran and the germ. These components hold lots of vitamins (B, E, magnesium, iron, zinc, phytochemicals) and nutrients such as iron and fiber. The fiber that comes from whole grains can lower cholesterol and the other nutrients play a large role in maintaining the immune system. According to the American Heart Association, whole grains should be chosen over refined grains whenever possible.
Whole Grains (Heal): diabetes, heart disease, cancer, digestive health, diverticular disease.
Refined Grains (Harm): heart disease, diabetes, celiac disease.
Some examples of whole grains include oatmeal, brown rice, popcorn, and quinoa.
May this list serve as a compass for cultivating heart-healthy eating habits, nourishing your heart with essential nutrients. While some foods labeled as 'unhealthy' pose risks in excess, moderation remains key for balanced enjoyment. Stay tuned throughout the month as The Public Health Record shares further insights on sustaining heart wellness.
