When it comes to staying healthy while living with heart disease, what you leave out of your diet is just as important as what you include. Below are four types of foods to avoid to live your best heart-healthy life.

AVOID: Processed Foods Refined Grains

Whole grains in their original state are just fine. Refined, processed, and bleached grains lose nearly all of what was beneficial. This includes fiber and minerals. Making things worse are the additives when they are combined to create food items – fat, sodium, and sugar, all of which can lead to weight gain and hypertension.

More specifically broken down – what to avoid

White rice

White bread

Instant oatmeals

Certain breakfast cereals

Processed sugars

Refined sugars

*Sugar is nothing but empty calories that are bad for your heart. Eating high amounts of added sugar can also raise your blood pressure and high triglyceride levels, as well as contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes.

Soda

Candy

Sweets

Preserved foods (frozen and canned pre-made)

Trans fats

Saturated fats

*Some types of fat can be good for you, so it’s important to recognize which kinds are not, namely trans fats and some saturated fats. While trans fat is arguably more harmful than saturated fats, and should generally not be consumed in any amount, they both can harm the body by raising “bad” cholesterol and lowering “good” cholesterol.

Deep-fried foods

Margarine

Microwave popcorn

Pie crust

Sodium

*Salt is fine in moderation but your kidneys can only process a certain amount. Excess sodium can result in increased pressure in the arteries. Hypertension leads to heart failure or a heart attack and puts you at risk for kidney failure and stroke.

Deli meats

Fast food

Packaged snacks

Some salad dressings

We know this is a big list and it may take some adjustments and getting used to. Once you modify your diet and start eating healthier you may just be surprised at how easy it is and how much better you feel.

For a Tampa cardiology center that also offers their very own onsite nutritionist, available to assist patients with a variety of conditions in getting their diets on the right track again, contact Tampa Cardiovascular Associates today by calling (813) 975-2800. www.tampacardio.com.