Eating habits are important for a healthy heart and circulatory system. If you want to protect your heart and avoid cardiovascular disease, it’s important to know about which food habits to avoid in order to stay healthy. Here are some eating habits that can lead to heart disease.
- Skipping breakfast: Skipping breakfast isn’t good for anyone, but it’s particularly dangerous for people with high cholesterol or other risk factors for heart disease. Studies show that people who eat breakfast regularly have lower cholesterol levels and weigh less than people who skip breakfast. It’s also easier to maintain a healthy weight if you don’t skip breakfast. Moreover, skipping breakfast increases insulin resistance, which can lead to obesity and other health problems.
- Not eating enough fruits and vegetables: Fruits and vegetables provide vitamins that your body needs to function properly. They also contain fiber, antioxidants and other nutrients that lower your risk of heart disease and stroke by lowering your bad cholesterol levels and raising your good cholesterol levels.
- Eating fast food too often. Fast food is high in sodium, excess fat, and sugar, which all contribute to cardiovascular disease. Even if you are careful about what you order at restaurants, fast food is still high in calories and fat which can lead to weight gain and put stress on your heart.
- Red meat. Eating red meat on a regular basis can increase your risk of heart disease by increasing levels of LDL — or “bad” cholesterol — in your blood. Stick with fish, poultry and other sources of lean protein instead.
- Saturated fat and trans fats. Saturated fat and trans fats may raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels in your blood. These fats are found primarily in animal products such as meat and dairy foods, but they’re also found in fried foods, many snack foods, and baked goods made
