25 Sneaky foods that could be damaging your heart

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Heart disease is a very serious problem these days but you can avoid becoming a statistic by looking at what you eat more closely.

Read on to see which foods you should avoid to keep your heart pumping properly, and then replace these fridge offenders with heart-healthy foods instead.

Sugary cereals

Take a look at the nutrition label of your cold cereal. Does it have more than eight grams of sugar per serving to make up for its low-fat level? Skip it.Fried chicken

More fried food, more problems. Study participants who consumed larger amounts of fried food had higher risk for death from coronary artery disease.

French fries

It’s not just battered and fried bird that’s tough on your ticker, though. High levels of potato consumption has been linked to increased risk for both hypertension and type 2 diabetes in scientific research. And frying the spuds delivers a one-two punch to your cardiac health.

Potato chips

Increased servings of potato chips tacked on more pounds than any other foods including sugary drinks, processed meats and red meat.

In addition to ample calories—160 calories per serving for 15 Lay’s—chips are low in fiber and protein while offering a good shake of sodium.

Fruit smoothies

In theory they should be healthy, unless you count how many grams of sugar you are actually consuming. Plus, by drinking fruit instead of eating it whole, you lose the essential fiber that could help normalize elevated blood lipids.

Hot dogs

Hot dogs and sausages can be high in saturated fat. Even low-fat options tend to be packed with salt. It’s important to watch your sodium intake, as more dietary sodium often leads to higher blood pressure.

Ketchup

Ketchup is very high in sodium as well. Just two tablespoons contains 320 milligrams of sodium. Plus, it boasts eight grams of sugar per two-tablespoon serving.

Barbecue sauce

It’s best for your heart to steer clear of (or go light on) the sauce at your cookout. A couple tablespoons of the typical bottle variety has about 310 milligrams of sodium.

Table salt

Start by adding half of what a recipe calls for, and scale up to only use what you need. So you don’t shake on extra out of habit, leave the salt in the kitchen and only bring it to the table if you need it after the first bite.

Fat-free packaged snacks

A good rule of thumb: Avoid any product that is not normally fat-free. What it doesn’t have in fat, it makes up for in sugar.

Fat-free peanut butter

Low-fat peanut butters usually contain the same amount of calories as its conventional counterpart. Again, you’re trading fat for sugar.

Canned vegetables

Some canned vegetable products are packaged with excess added sodium which can take a vegetable with no salt and make it have more than a processed snack item.

Fruit-flavored yogurt

Sometimes, it’s good to be plain—as in plain Greek yogurt. Fruity yogurts can contain upwards of six teaspoons of sugar per serving. A better choice is to buy plain Greek yogurt and mix it with your own fresh or frozen unsweetened fruit.

Margarine

Butter isn’t so bad after all. A 2016 review in PLOS One found very little links between butter consumption and heart disease. Instead, margarine appears to be more of a villain, since it can be full of additives and saturated fats.

Pastries

Donuts and other bakery goodies are not only high in fat, sugar and white flour, but they also may be transporting trans fats into your bloodstream.

As a reminder, trans fat can increase risk of developing heart disease since they simultaneously lower good cholesterol and raise bad cholesterol.

Red meat

Aim to integrate more plant-based proteins, such as beans and nuts, for the biggest heart health boost. Red meat consumption has been shown to increase cardiovascular risk.

White bread

Whole grains come paired with fibre and more vitamins, while white bread is commonly stripped of both. Since the carbs come with no fibre to balance things out, they increase blood sugar rapidly, which can contribute to the development of diabetes or heart conditions over time.

White rice

Processed rice ranks right up there with processed breads on the heart-harming scale. Highly processed carbohydrates increase belly fat, which is a risk factor for diabetes and coronary disease.

Energy drinks

Similarly, energy drinks are often amped up with oodles of sugar—and caffeine that can cause undue stress to your heart.

Soda

For each additional sugar-packed drink, such as cola, you drink each day, you increase your risk for both heart disease and stroke. Frequent consumption of all sweetened drinks, including soda, faux fruit juices and sports drinks, makes you more likely to die of atherosclerosis.

Diet soda

Research suggests that the chemicals in diet soda and the artificial sweeteners can alter gastrointestinal bacteria that make people more prone to gaining weight.

Pizza

If you do pick pizza for dinner and order delivery, be sure to go heavy on the fresh vegetables and light on the cheese.

Marinara sauce

While you’re shifting your slice, consider the tomato sauce, too. The average half-cup of marinara packs in 400 milligrams of sodium and 4 grams of sugar. Try low-sodium marinara sauce or trade olive oil for sauce on your DIY pizza.

Alcohol

Everything in moderation. But if you already suffer from high blood pressure or know that you have high triglycerides, then drinking alcohol can boost your odds of heart disease.”

Coffee creamer

Want to be even better? Drink your coffee black. And whatever you do, don’t dump in the non-dairy coffee creamer.