Do you have a history of high cholesterol or diabetes in your family? If so then it’s time to make some changes to your diet. There are many foods people consume daily that are harming them and they are unaware. Here, you can learn about foods that can make you overweight or clog your arteries. Clogged arteries is a buildup of plaque in arteries. Plaque is a mixture of fibrous and fatty accumulation that can narrow your arteries. Clogged arteries make the movement of oxygen and blood throughout your body more difficult. Certain foods, especially those that elevate your blood sugar or have a lot of bad cholesterol, can increase your risk of clogged arteries.
Clogged arteries can be extremely dangerous especially as you get older. If you have clogged arteries, one of the symptoms you may experience is pain in your limbs or poor circulation.
Clogged arteries can lead to conditions like heart attacks, heart disease, peripheral artery disease and stroke.
Even though they're best known for negatively affecting the health of your heart, clogged arteries can occur anywhere in your body.
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When arteries get clogged it could be caused by many different factors, like high blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. Certain foods can increase your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol and eventually lead to clogged arteries.
Other factors, like whether you exercise and smoke, can also increase your likelihood of having clogged arteries.
These are the 5 foods that lead to clogged arteries:
1. Fries
Foods like fries, fried chicken and pizza should ultimately be consumed in moderation. There are also healthier alternatives to the unhealthy foods you may like. Instead of deep-fried fries from McDonald's, you should try
sweet potato fries from the oven or air fryer.
2. Refined grain products
Cereals, bread, pasta and pastries are filled with many different sugars and fats. You can switch it up for healthier whole-grain versions of the same products you love.
3. Saturated fats
These fats are the main type of fat that clogs arteries, but not all saturated fats are the same. Saturated fats from meat are more likely to cause cardiovascular disease than fats from dairy products.
Lean meats and low-fat dairy products can be the best versions of these products to eat. Always try to use olive oil and other healthy fats instead of butter as much as you can.
READ: Eating Less Meat Means a Healthier Heart
4. Sugary foods
Candy, soft drinks, sweetened juices and cookies are bad for a multitude of reasons. They’re bad for your arteries and teeth as well. Even certain breakfast products, like sugary cereals, can be harmful when eaten too often.
Substituting these with something that has natural sugar can help keep you healthy. For example, pineapple, mangos and oranges.
5. Eggs
Eggs are healthy foods but should be eaten in moderation. The American Heart Association recommends one egg per day as part of a healthy diet. Much more than one egg per day could be harmful to your heart's health.
If you are someone who loves food it may be difficult to just cut these foods off completely. An effective way to approach it would be to consume these foods in moderation.
