Coronary heart disease and high blood pressure comprise two of the most common types of heart disease, according to the National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute. Coronary heart disease is caused by accumulation of saturated fat and cholesterol in the arteries. High blood pressure is caused by high levels of sodium, also called table salt. Some foods can cause or exacerbate the risks for heart disease.
Eggs
Dietary cholesterol is a risk factor for coronary heart disease. Egg yolks have an abundance of cholesterol. A three large egg omelet contains 645mg of cholesterol, more than twice the recommended daily intake, according to The United States Department of Agriculture. Research by Y. Nakamura published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in 2004 showed that total blood cholesterol is associated with egg consumption and women who eat 1 egg per day have a significantly higher mortality from heart disease than women who eat 1 to 2 eggs per week.
Meat
Saturated fat increases blood cholesterol and the risk of coronary heart disease, according to the American Heart Association Association and MayoClinic.com, respectively. Beef, veal, lamb, pork and poultry are dietary sources of saturated fat and contain high amounts of cholesterol relative to other foods, according to the Unites States Department of Agriculture and dietaryfiberfood.com. For example, cooked beef has 3100mg of cholesterol per 100g of beef. Meat also contains small amounts of trans fat, a type of fat that increases risk of heart disease, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Processed Foods
Many processed foods are cooked with trans fat, a type of fat that is industrially manufactured by adding hydrogen gas with oil, making the fat harder. Trans fat is used in margarine, cookies, cakes, crackers, icing, potato chips, microwave popcorn, fried and fast foods. The University of Maryland Medical Center says trans fats are a higher risk factor for heart disease than saturated fats because they not only raise total cholesterol levels but also deplete good cholesterol, HDL, that protects against heart disease. Trans fats clog up arteries quicker than saturated fat found in food. The University of Maryland Medical Center also says that children as young as 8 years of age have high blood cholesterol and fats that clog arteries from consuming foods with trans fat. Research by K. Oh published in the "American Journal of Epidemiology" in 2005 discovered that trans-fat intake is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease, especially for younger women.
Diets high in salt, specifically sodium chloride, are a risk factor for high blood pressure, which in turn is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. Processed foods provide the majority of salt in the diet. Research by B.M. Thomson published in "British Journal of Nutrition" in 2009 discovered that processed bread accounts for the food with highest amount of salt. Other processed foods with high salt content include sausage, pizza, meat pies, instant noodles and cheese.
References
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: What Is Heart Disease?
- United States Department of Agriculture: Usda National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Egg Consumption, Serum Cholesterol, and Cause-Specific and All-Cause Mortality; Nakamura, Y.; Jul 2004
- American Heart Association: Know Your Fats
- MayoClinic.com: Dietary Fats: Know Which Types to Choose
