Taking care of your heart is very important for your overall health, and the food you eat is a key factor in keeping your heart healthy. Dr. Barbara O’Neill, a well-known health teacher, highlights the significance of not eating certain foods that can harm your heart. Here are the five foods that Dr. O’Neill says are really bad for your heart, and why you should avoid them.

1. Prepared Meats
Foods like bacon, sausages, and cold cuts contain a lot of bad fats, salt, and additives. These factors can cause problems like high blood pressure, blocked arteries, and a higher chance of heart disease.

Reasons it’s not good:

Too much salt can make your blood pressure go up, which can be hard on your heart.

Saturated fats and nitrates can cause plaque to form in the arteries, which can lead to atherosclerosis and heart disease.

2. Sweet Drinks

Drinks with a lot of sugar, such as soda, sweetened juices, and energy drinks, have refined sugars that can lead to obesity, diabetes, and heart problems.

Reasons it’s not good:

Eating foods with a lot of calories can make you gain weight, which can increase your risk of heart disease.

High levels of sugar in the blood can lead to insulin resistance and inflammation, which can be harmful to the heart and blood vessels.

3. Unhealthy Fats