One of the most essential components of a healthy heart is a healthy diet. It shouldn’t be a surprise to hear that your diet plays a crucial role in every aspect of your health, and your cardiovascular system is no exception. In addition to loading your meals with antioxidant-rich, anti-inflammatory foods, it’s also important to leave certain foods off of your plate as much as possible if you want to reduce your risk of heart disease. Many of the biggest offenders are processed foods—especially processed meats.
There are several processed meats experts recommend steering clear of to keep your heart in great shape. To uncover some of the worst culprits of heart disease, we spoke to cardiologists Dr. Michael Ross MacDonald from The Harley Street Heart and Vascular Centre, Leonard Ganz M.D., chief medical officer and divisional vice president of medical affairs at Abbott’s cardiac rhythm management business, and Dr. Raed Bargout, a cardiologist at Dignity Health-Glendale Memorial Hospital in Glendale. They told us that hot dogs, bacon, and deli meats are among the worst options.
1. Hot dogs
As delicious and convenient as hot dogs can be—especially when summer rolls around and cookouts become a frequent occurrence—the unfortunate truth is that they're a terrible choice for your heart, and eating them in excess could raise your risk of heart disease.
MacDonald cites hot dogs as one of the worst processed meats for your cardiovascular health, noting that they're "high in saturated fat and sodium, which can all contribute to the development of heart disease." Yikes! "Saturated fats increase the risk of plaque buildup in arteries, narrowing them and restricting blood flow," he explains.
Meanwhile, sodium is associated with a number of health issues, especially in terms of heart health. "Sodium leads to fluid retention, which can strain the heart and elevate blood pressure, further increasing the risk of cardiovascular complications," MacDonald says.
2. Bacon
Along with hot dogs, MacDonald calls out bacon as one of the worsts processed meats for your heart health. Just as with hot dogs, this delicious but detrimental breakfast food is packed with saturated fats and sodium.
Ganz seconds the sentiment that red meats like this should be avoided as much as possible if you want to reduce your risk of heart disease. "Red meats are high in saturated fats, which can adversely affect the lipid profile," he says. "Recent research suggests that when bacteria in the gut break down meat, one of the metabolites produced is TMAO, which may increase the risk of heart and kidney disease, as well as type 2 diabetes. In particular, processed meats such as bacon and sausage have nitrates, which may increase inflammation and sodium, ultimately raising blood pressure that may be associated with inflammation." Say it ain't so!
3. Deli meats
In addition to red meat, another major culprit of heart disease to be wary of is deli meat. These are among the least healthy processed meats and are packed with additives that could take a toll on your overall health—especially your heart.
As Dr. Bargout says, "Processed deli meat is on the top of the list for food that can increase the risk of cardiovascular events including heart attacks and stroke." Lean meats like turkey and chicken make a great alternative.
Eat fatty fish instead
Cutting back on processed meats like these doesn't mean you have to give up meat altogether. In fact, there are plenty of heart-healthy meats out there that taste great and make you feel great. Ganz recommends fatty fish, in particular.
"Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, and trout, are better choices," he says. "These fish are great sources of protein and have been associated with lower blood pressure, a better lipid profile, and a lower risk of arrhythmia (irregular heart rhythms)." Perfect!
