Cardiologists have named 8 foods that are harmful to the heart (10 photos)

Everyone knows that smoking, a sedentary lifestyle and other bad habits harm our heart. Our nutrition also plays an important role. Recently, experts from the Heart Association named a number of foods that they avoid for the sake of heart health. While none of these foods will kill you if eaten occasionally, cardiologists themselves eat little or nothing of them.





This list of products was provided by the American Heart Association. In 99% of cases, cardiologists themselves eat them extremely rarely or not at all, knowing the harm they cause to heart health. Of course, if you eat them rarely, your heart will not suffer - however, you should watch your diet, especially with cardiac problems.



1. Liver





Dr. Eleanor Levine, a cardiologist at Stanford University, says she never eats liver. Firstly, according to the doctor, it contains a lot of fat.

"I avoid red meat because it's high in saturated fat and trans fat, which are not only bad for your heart, but can also cause osteoporosis. The liver is especially bad - it's the organ that filters out toxins, hence all these harmful substances." remain in it. As a child, I often ate chopped liver, but since I became a cardiologist, I haven’t,” says Levin.

2. Sausage



Dr. Elizabeth Klodas, a cardiologist in Minneapolis, doesn't eat sausage (she refers to the pork-based "breakfast sausage" often eaten for breakfast in the United States). They are high in sodium, which increases blood pressure, and saturated fat, which increases cholesterol. Klodas also noted that all processed meat products, including sausages, ham and bacon, are classified as carcinogens by the World Health Organization.

3. Margarine



Both margarine and butter are fatty foods that are dangerous for the heart. According to cardiologist Harmony Reynolds, the results of a 16-year study showed that people who consumed margarine were 6% more likely to die. Instead, the doctor advises his patients to use olive oil - even just for frying eggs or other dishes.

“When nothing but butter suits a dish, it’s still best to use mostly olive oil—with a little bit of butter,” says the doctor.

4. Steaks



Dr. Leonard Lilly, chief of cardiology at Faulkner Hospital, advises against getting carried away with marbled beef steaks. At the same time, such meat can be safely eaten sometimes in small quantities.

“I avoid very fatty red meats, such as marbled beef steaks, because they are very high in saturated fat. Clinical studies have shown that consuming saturated fat increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes,” the doctor said.

5. Bacon



Dr. Francoise Marvel, a cardiologist at Johns Hopkins University, urges patients to eat less bacon. It's high in saturated fat and raises cholesterol—more specifically, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which is associated with the risk of heart attack and stroke.

"The way bacon is processed is by curing the pork, which involves adding salt, sugar and nitrates. The large amounts of salt used in this process can increase blood pressure and retain water in the body, causing the heart to work harder. This is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease," says Françoise Marvel.

6. Deep fried chicken



Regular consumption of deep-fried foods increases the risk of heart disease and stroke because it increases the amount of saturated and trans fats in the body. According to cardiologist Sanjay Maniar, he rarely eats such chicken. Unhealthy fats in breading increase levels of low-density lipoproteins ("bad" cholesterol) and reduce levels of high-density lipoproteins ("good" cholesterol). As the doctor recommends, it is better to grill the chicken.

7. Donuts



According to Dr. Jane Morgan, a cardiologist in Atlanta, many donuts are fried in oil containing trans fats, which makes them bad for the heart.

“Trans fats raise cholesterol and blood sugar levels, contributing to the development of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. They are often “passed off” on labels as partially hydrogenated oils, so you need to carefully study the composition,” says the cardiologist.

8. Bolognese



This sausage is a simplified variation of Italian mortadella. According to Dr. James Udelson, head of the cardiology department at Tufts Medical Center, it is better to avoid such sausage.

"These processed meats are very high in salt and are associated with a risk of heart disease. I always recommend that my patients eat a diet high in vegetables, whole grains, fish and lean meats, nuts and legumes," says Dr.