Avoid These Foods for Your Heart
By Sara Butler
Heart disease is the number one killer in the United States. Almost 700,000 Americans, according to the American Heart Association, die from heart disease every year. However, you don't have to become a part of that statistic. In fact, you can lower your risk by changing a few lifestyle factors, such as what you eat.
Eating a healthy and well-balanced diet can help to reduce blood pressure and improve your cholesterol levels too. Here are a few foods that you may want to have only once in a while (or eliminate from your diet) to help improve your heart health.
Candy
Can you guess the amount of candy the average American eats in one year? Would you believe it's about 22 pounds? Most of that candy is in the form of chocolate. While some chocolate is OK for your heart, such as dark chocolate, most milk chocolate is high in sugar and fat. Eating a lot of candy can increase the fatty deposits in your vessels and increase your risk of heart disease in the process.
Coffee Creamers
People love their coffee and they also love adding flavor to their coffee with a little creamer. However, those pre-mixed creamers in a variety of flavors aren't food for your heart. Many are full of trans fats, which are bad for your heart because they increase the levels of bad LDL cholesterol in your body while reducing the good cholesterol. Stick to a splash of whole milk the next time you're looking for something to add to your morning cup of joe.
Cake
Let them eat cake -- except if they're trying to keep an eye on their heart health. Most types of cake are made with a lot of sugars as well as hydrogenated oils. Those oils are a big source of trans fats in the diet and can still be found in baked goods mass-produced at your local store.
Margarine
There was a time when margarine was thought to be a healthy alternative to butter in the diet, but that time has long passed. It's now known that margarine is not good for your heart because it contains trans fats. That's why if you're looking for a butter replacement, you should stick with olive oil.
Take care of your heart so it can keep ticking by making sure to watch what you eat!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Arvada, Colo.