Here we have listed out a few food habits that can actually damage your heart:
- Eating sweets after a meal
People often crave for sugary foods, even after an extravagant meal, instead of feeling full and satisfied. Eating sweets after meals can increase insulin and help deposit excess calories in your belly, putting you at risk of diabetes and heart disease. So, don't eat sweets after you gorge. Read: Seven simple ways to keep your heart healthy, happy
- Adding too much spices to foods
There are plenty of health benefits to eating spicy foods, including the possibility of a longer life, weight loss, albeit in moderation. Although chili pepers may help protect your heart from high cholesterol and blood pressure, experts suggest that eating in excess can cause stomach woes and also increase the pressure on the heart. Spices like cinnamon, cardamom and black pepper that are rich in antioxidants and polyphenols good for the heart.
- Using the same cooking oil
Almost all Indian dishes are incomplete without adding lots of oil and spices, which is not so good for the heart.. On top of that, may have a habit of using the same type of cooking oil for long period of time, and thus increasing their health risk. It is recommended that we should change our cooking oil in every three months once to promote heart health as well as overall health. Read: Find out which oil is best for weight loss and flat abs
- Consuming non-vegetarian food regularly
The problem with non-vegetarian foods is that they are generally high in fats and cholesterol, possessing higher risk for people with heart disease. Non-vegetarian foods also lack in vitamins, minerals, fibers, antioxidants and zinc, and are also difficult to digest. In addition to heart disease, these foods have been directly linked to an increased risk of cancers of the esophagus, liver, colon, and the lungs. Many studies have shown that mortality from ischemic heart disease was lower in vegetarians than in non-vegetarians. So it's better to choose a vegetarian diet if planned properly to meet the nutritional requirements than non-vegetarian foods that increase your risk for various health conditions.
However, you can occasionally eat white meat like chicken and fish that are rich in proteins and omega-3 fats, which are beneficial for the heart.
- Excessive salt intake
Salty foods may be tempting but they can be dangerous for your health. Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure, which is a major risk factor responsible for developing coronary heart disease. Read: These scary things happen to your body when you consume too much salt Hence, experts recommend that we should keep our intake of salt less than one tablespoon per day - less than 2300 mg of sodium.