Consumption of Salt, Sugar, Trans Fats & Saturated Fats Raise Coronary Heart Disease Risk, CHD occurs when the coronary arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart are narrowed. This narrowing is caused by plaque build-up in the arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis. Plaque is made up of cholesterol, fat, and other blood-borne substances. Once it narrows the arteries, it reduces the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart, leading to chest pain (angina) and heart attack. Blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking are some of the classical risk factors which promote and propagate atherosclerosis.
Prevalence of Coronary Heart Disease:
The prevalence of CHD is increasing globally, and it is especially more common in India. With over 30% of cardiovascular deaths, India has the highest number of deaths from heart disease. The Indian government estimates that over 60 million Indians suffer from some form of heart disease. This is due to risk factors such as poor dietary and lifestyle choices.
How Poor Eating Habits Can Increase Heart Disease Risk?
Poor dietary habits such as consuming high levels of salt, sugar, trans fats, and saturated fats can raise blood pressure, increase levels of bad cholesterol in the blood, and lead to weight gain, all of which are risk factors for heart disease.
Sodium and chloride are essential electrolytes in the body and table salt is made up of sodium and chloride. Any colloquial discussion about hypertension talks about salt intake, however, it actually is about Sodium consumption. Not only excess table salt is detrimental, but food substances containing excess baking soda or preservatives also amount to excess sodium consumption. Thus, food substances like pickles, papad, baked foods containing baking soda, snacks, and condiments are categorized under high sodium substances, which are equally hazardous to cardiac health.
Consuming too much sugar can raise levels of bad cholesterol like triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood released by the liver. High levels of LDL cholesterol clog the arteries and increase the risk of heart disease. Additionally, excess sugar levels can lead to weight gain, increasing the risk of developing coronary heart disease.
Similarly, trans fat and saturated fat also contribute to the development of coronary heart disease. Trans fat, naturally occurs in meat and milk fat in very small quantities but largely it’s a by-product of large-scale industrial processing of vegetable and animal fat to produce margarine. The process is called the hydrogenation of oil. Such hydrogenated oil (Vanaspathi) continues to be used on large scale despite it being hazardous for some of its desirable properties like the prolonged shelf life of food. Thus, trans fats are rich in foods like baked food, fried foods, and large commercially manufactured foods. Trans fats raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels while lowering HDL (good) cholesterol levels. Saturated fat, which is found in beef, pork, and poultry with skin, butter, and full-fat dairy products, can also raise LDL cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart attacks.
Eating Right for a Good Cardiac Health is of Paramount Importance.
Thus, it’s important to consume processed, fried, and packaged foods in moderation and focus on eating a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat and low fat dairy products. Although it may not be possible to completely avoid them, limiting their intake can help reduce exposure to heart disease. Furthermore, home-cooked products made with refined oil or cold-pressed oil should be preferred over packaged or junk food.
Sodium or salt content is quite enormous in the Indian diet, unlike the western diet. An individual should consume no more than 3 – 4 grams of salt per day. Also, limiting sweets and refined carbohydrates like food products made from maida should be considered an important healthy and preventive measure.
(This article is authored by Dr. Pradeep Haranahalli, Consultant – Interventional Cardiologist, Manipal Hospital Whitefield)
Also read: Plant based food