Cardiologists Urge Cutting 3 Foods for Heart Health, Replacing Bacon and Fries With Legumes
Updated
Updated · HuffPost · Jul 19
Cardiologists Urge Cutting 3 Foods for Heart Health, Replacing Bacon and Fries With Legumes
3 articles · Updated · HuffPost · Jul 19
Summary
Three foods—bacon, white bread and french fries—were singled out by cardiologists and a nutritionist as items people should eliminate or sharply limit to protect heart health.
Bacon and other processed meats drew the strongest warning because high sodium, saturated fat and nitrites can raise blood pressure, fuel inflammation and increase cardiovascular disease risk.
White bread and french fries were flagged for different reasons: refined carbs can spike blood sugar and triglycerides, while frying—often in reused oil—adds fat, trans fats and salt linked to heart disease.
Legumes, flaxseeds, almonds, quinoa and 100% whole-grain bread were recommended as substitutes that can help lower LDL cholesterol, regulate blood sugar and support vascular health.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, and the experts said diet changes work best alongside regular exercise and avoiding smoking.