How common are these items in your diet?
A heart doctor has revealed the three types of food and drink that he tries to cut down on in his day-to-day diet.
By now we’re all well aware that the our favourite foods are usually the ones that aren’t the healthiest for us. It’s one of the more devastating realisations of life, especially as processed foods are specifically designed to taste so good.
However, if you’re looking to make healthier choices or you’re concerned about your health then read on, as cardiologist Dr David Wild spoke about the three types of food and drink which he ‘really tries’ to avoid in a recent TikTok video.
And one of them may surprise you.
How common are these foods in your diet? (Getty Stock Image)
Processed meats
The first of the three items on Dr Wild’s list was the most unsurprising of them all, being processed meats.
Explaining the reason for this, he began: “Things like bacon, sausage, salami, hotdogs. They’re all loaded with calories, saturated fats and salts which are bad for the heart.
“In addition they contain nitrates which have been linked to certain types of cancers.”
Dr Wild’s advice is also backed up by research the World Health Organisation (WHO) who have classified processed meats as a Group 1 carcinogen, which is the same classification as alcohol and tobacco.
Processed meats refers to meat products that are ‘not sold fresh’ and have instead been through a preservation process such as curing, salting, smoking.
Baked goods
Highlighting items such as cookies, cakes and croissants, for their high sugar content, Dr Wild said: “Having too much of it can be really unhealthy for the heart.”
Advice from the British Heart Foundation states there is nothing wrong which consuming ‘some sugar’ in your diet and advises the average of 30g of sugar a day for adults.
Dr Wild advises that baked goods, such as cakes and pastries, should be enjoyed in moderation (Getty Stock Image)
Guidelines also specify that it’s ‘added sugars’ we should cut back, as natural sugars can often contain nutritional benefits, such as vitamins and minerals.
The British Heart Foundation also has advice on how to make baked goods healthier, such as baking with unsaturated fats and using fruits and sweet vegetables in order to cut back on sugar.
Fruit smoothies
The most surprising of the three items on the list was fruit smoothies. Now most of us may opt for a green juice or a strawberry and banana smoothie as a healthy option, however Dr Wild explained these blended drinks can contain high amounts of sugar.
“I know they sound great and healthy as it contains the word fruit in it, but think about how many fruits you have to crush up to make one giant smoothie, that makes it loaded up with sugar,” he said.
Dr Wild added that the process of making a smoothie ‘eliminates’ the fruits of their fibre, which is ‘healthy for the heart’.
Dr Wild was keen to stress that he’s not advising everyone to cut out these items entirely from their diets but instead to be mindful about how much of them you’re eating on a daily basis.
“Moderation is key but cutting back as much as possible on these foods will be good for your heart,” he added in the caption.
Featured Image Credit: theheartdoc/TikTok/Getty Stock Image
