Page 22 - Florida Sentinel 4-16-21

Health
Pizza can be healthy if you make it the right way, but most take-out pizza and frozen pies have staggering amounts of sodium, fat, and calories, all of which can raise your risk of a heart attack. When you order out, opt for a thin crust (whole wheat if possible), ask for less cheese, pile on the veggies, and skip the pepperoni or sausage, which are loaded with salt.
PROCESSED MEATS
Hot dogs, sausage, salami, and lunch meat are the worst types of meats for your heart. They have high amounts of salt, and most are high in saturated fat. When it comes to deli meats, turkey is bet- ter for you than salami because it doesn’t have the saturated fat. But it still has a fair amount of sodium, so it isn’t as heart-healthy as fresh sliced turkey breast.
SODA
Having small amounts of added sugar isn’t harmful, but a can of soda has more added sugar than experts recommend for a whole day. Soda drinkers tend to gain more weight and are more likely to be obese and have type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. And while the sci- ence is still fuzzy on diet drinks, some research links them to weight gain and strokes. Your best bet is plain, carbonated, or unsweetened flavored water.
Rice, bread, pasta, and snacks made from white flour are missing their healthy fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Refined grains quickly convert to sugar, which your body stores as fat. A diet high in refined grains can cause belly fat, which studies link to heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Try to get at least half your grains from whole grains like brown rice, oats, and whole wheat. When you shop, look for the words "100% whole grain.
Eating too much beef, lamb, and pork may raise your odds for heart disease and diabetes. It may be because they’re high in satu- rated fat, which can boost choles- terol. More recent studies point to how gut bacteria process a part of the meat called L-carnitine. Limit your portions. Also, look for lean cuts like round, sirloin, and extra- lean ground beef.
BACON
More than half of bacon’s calo- ries come from saturated fat, which can raise your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or bad choles- terol, and boost your chance of a heart attack or stroke. It’s full of salt, which bumps up your blood pressure and makes your heart work harder. High amounts of sodium (the main part of salt) can lead to stroke, heart disease, and heart failure. Bacon’s added preservatives are linked to these issues as well.
Cookies, cakes, and muffins should be rare treats. They’re typically loaded with added sugar, which leads to weight gain. They’re also linked to higher triglyceride levels, and that can lead to heart disease. Their main ingredient is usually white flour, which may spike your blood sugar and make you hungrier. Make healthier treats: Swap in whole-wheat flour, trim the sugar, and use liquid plant oils instead of butter or shorten- ing.
SUGAR, SALT, FAT
Over time, high amounts of salt, sugar, saturated fat, and refined carbs raise your risk for a heart attack or stroke. If you’re worried about your heart, you’ll want to keep these out of regular rotation.
But rather than fixate on any one bad food, it’s wise to focus on your overall diet. You can still have these things if
you mostly eat heart-healthy fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy.
RED MEAT
PIZZA
WHITE RICE, BREAD, AND PASTA
BAKED GOODS
PAGE 10-B FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2021