World Heart Day 2018: Top 5 Foods To Avoid For Heart Patients

World Heart Day 2018 is being observed across the globe today and the aim of the occasion is to raise awareness about lifestyles and habits that may potentially raise risks of cardiovascular illnesses. Another purpose of observing the day is to guide health practitioners as well as caretakers of heart patients about the correct practices related to maintaining heart health. The theme for World Heart Day 2018 is "My Heart, Your Heart" and it is aimed at encouraging people to actively look after their own hearts and the hearts of their loved ones. This year's campaign is a call-to-action for everyone, to nudge individuals to make a promise, "to get more active, say no to smoking or eat more healthily", says the official website of World Heart Federation. So, if cardiovascular health is a major concern for you or someone in your family, it's the right time to start paying close attention to dietary habits which are good for the heart and those that are detrimental for its health.

Some people are genetically predisposed to some cardiovascular conditions, while for some others their lifestyle is a high risk factor for heart ailments. Either way, there are certain foods that can wreak havoc on the well-being of the heart of these especially vulnerable people, as well as those suffering from a clinically diagnosed heart condition. In this case, it becomes crucial to eliminate certain foods and food groups from the diet, in order to save the person from a potentially fatal attack.

Here are 5 foods that heart patients must avoid at all costs:

1. Processed Grains and Carbohydrates: Not all carbs are bad for your health. In fact, whole grains may actually protect the heart and maintain its health. But processed grains contain unhealthy carbs, which are very likely to give your heart a hard time. This is because processed grains have very little nutritional value, as high level of processing strips the grain of healthful components. These also contain harmful ingredients like trans fats, sodium, and sugars. So keep away from pizzas, pastas and starchy foods like white bread, potatoes, white rice, etc.

2. Soft Drinks or Sugary Drinks: These also include energy drinks, which often contain high levels of sugar, which is harmful for any heart patient. These soft drinks contain high amount of calories, which lead to a spike in the levels of blood sugar. These drinks also increase your chances of weight gain. So the next time you feel like quenching your thirst, along with meals, simply opt for water or other naturally hydrating drinks like coconut water, and skip that soda. This is particularly important for heart patients to follow.

3. Red Meat: Heart patients are often advised to stay away from all sources of red meat. This type of meat contains high amounts of saturated fat, which is harmful as it raises levels of Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol in the blood. Common sources of red meat include lamb, pork and beef. It would be better to switch red meat with white meat from chicken, turkey and fish.

4. Salty Foods: Common packaged snacks like chips and crisps contain high amounts of salt, which is again harmful for the health of heart patients. Too much sodium intake in the body can raise blood pressure. Although it's not necessary to chuck salt out of your diet, completely, one should certainly be mindful of their daily salt intake and keep it well within the recommended daily requirement.

5. Trans Fats: Again, most packaged snacks, as well as junk foods contain this harmful ingredient. Trans fats, sometimes labelled as hydrogenated oils on processed foods, is the ultimate nemesis of a heart patient and should always be kept at an arm's length. Chocolates, cookies, chips and other common snacking foods contain trans fats and hence, should be avoided by heart patients.

Happy World Heart Day 2018!