It’s firmly established that certain foods and diets like the DASH diet and the Mediterranean diet are good for our hearts—years of research have proven the benefits of these ways of eating for our health. But doctors agree that just as certain foods help strengthen our cardiovascular system, others can be terrible for us, and are strongly linked to disease and decreased life expectancy. So what specifically should you be reading nutrition labels for? Here’s the one food doctors say you should immediately cut from your diet not just for heart health, but overall wellness and optimum longevity.
RELATED: 7 Things Your Heart Will Thank You for Doing.
Ultra-Processed Foods and CVD
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A diet high in ultra-processed foods (UPFs) is terrible for your heart.Studies show UPFs are linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). “The consumption of ultra-processed foods makes up over half of the daily calories in the average American diet and are increasingly consumed worldwide. As poor diet is a major modifiable risk factor for heart disease, it represents a critical target in prevention efforts,” says Filippa Juul, MS, PhD, a faculty fellow at the New York University School of Public Health, via the American College of Cardiology.
UPFs Are Everywhere
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Ultra-processed foods account for 58% of the American diet, experts warn. “Ultra-processed foods are ubiquitous and include many foods that are marketed as healthy, such as protein bars, breakfast cereals and most industrially produced breads,” Dr. Juul says. “Population-wide strategies such as taxation on sugar-sweetened beverages and other ultra-processed foods and recommendations regarding processing levels in national dietary guidelines are needed to reduce the intake of ultra-processed foods.”
UPFs and Shortened Lifespan
ShutterstockOne study tracking 20,000 people over 10 years showed concerning outcomes for those who ate ultra-processed foods every day. “People who ate more than four servings of ultra-processed foods daily had a 62% higher risk of dying from all causes compared with those who ate only two servings per day,” says Harvard Health. “These studies don't prove that eating junk food explains the findings. But ultra-processed foods aren't just full of fat, sugar, salt, and calories. They're also low in fiber, vitamins, and minerals that help prevent heart disease. Preservatives and other additives in ultra-processed foods might also contribute to weight gain, prediabetes, and inflammation, all of which are hard on the heart.”
UPFs and Obesity
ShutterstockUPFs are linked to weight gain, especially around the abdomen, which can lead to a host of concerning health conditions. “When comparing the U.S. diet to the diet of those who live in ‘blue zones’ – areas with populations living to age 100 without chronic disease – the differences are stark,” says researcher Leigh A. Frame, PhD, MHS, program director for the Integrative Medicine Programs, executive director of the Office of Integrative Medicine and Health, and assistant professor of clinical research and leadership at the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences. “Many of the food trends we reviewed are tied directly to a fast-paced U.S. lifestyle that contributes to the obesity epidemic we are now facing.”
UPFs and Overeating
iStockStudies show UPFs drive people to eat more than they need. “But despite our diets being matched for various nutrients of concern, what we found was that people consuming the ultra-processed foods ate about 500 calories per day more over the two weeks that they were on that diet as compared to the minimally processed diet,” says Kevin Hall, senior investigator at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the NIH, via the Harvard Gazette. “They gained weight and gained body fat. And when they were on the minimally processed diet, they spontaneously lost weight and lost body fat.”
Eat Whole Foods For Heart Health
ShutterstockWhole foods are best for heart health, especially as part of the DASH or Mediterranean diets. “Fruits and vegetables; whole grains; healthy proteins; nonfat and low-fat dairy; and unsaturated fats and oils are the foundation of a heart-healthy eating plan,” says Harvard Health. Fatty fish, healthy fats, fiber, fruits, vegetables, and healthy proteins will help make your heart happy.
