TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – When entering the age of 50, people are increasingly paying attention to health problems, including choosing wisely food. Moreover, if there are family or relatives who have heart problems due to heart failure, it is said to be the main cause of people over 65 years of being hospitalized.
According to the Association Heart Americans, at the age of 50-60 years, people often accumulate more bad fat in the body, especially around the middle of the body. The accumulation of fat in the internal organs poses a risk factor for heart disease in the golden age.
Although scary, it’s not too late for those who want to improve heart health. The method is very easy, starting from reducing consumption of unhealthy foods and drinks. Here are five foods and drinks to avoid at the age of 50 to avoid heart disease Eat This.
Fatty meats and fried foods
“If you want to keep your heart healthy after age 50, it’s time to take your saturated fat intake seriously,” says Rebecca Schilling, registered dietitian for USA RX.
It is undeniable that following a diet high in saturated fat and low in fruits, vegetables, and fiber can contribute to the risk of heart disease. Schilling says a diet high in saturated fat creates the perfect attack by clogging arteries, increasing bad cholesterol, and contributing to high blood pressure. He recommends limiting the consumption of meat at meals, which is only 3 ounces or the size of a palm. Meanwhile, remove fat from all cuts of meat and increase the amount of fruit, vegetables, and fiber each day.
“For this advice to work, you need to treat red meat and fried foods as rare foods so enjoy them sparingly.”
Potato chips and soda
Eating potato chips and soda can be bad news for heart health. This is because of the high content of sodium, saturated fat, and added sugar in it.
“Prepackaged snacks and cakes are not only high in sodium, they encourage overeating and increase the risk of weight gain because they are so tasty,” says Melissa Mitri, registered dietitian for Wellness Verge.
He says sugar also plays a key role in poor heart health. Soda is very high in added sugar, which can be a risk factor for diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Mitri recommends that you avoid that risk by choosing a healthier soda alternative, such as mineral water or carbonated water.
diet drink
Switching from sugary drinks to diet sodas to cut calories and sugar may sound like a smart move. However, this is counterproductive when it comes to heart health.
“Beverages with artificial sweeteners are associated with an increased risk of cardiometabolic disease,” says Arika Hoscheit, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Paloma Health.
A study in Diabetes Care found that people who drank diet soda daily had a 36 percent greater risk of developing metabolic syndrome and a 67 percent risk of type 2 diabetes when compared to non-diet soda drinkers. Hoscheit says the artificial sweetness of low-calorie, no-calorie diet drinks makes it harder for the body to measure calorie density.
“Increases appetite and disrupts the microbiome which can lead to glucose intolerance and increase the desire for sweet and energy-dense foods or drinks,” he explained.
To protect your heart, minimize your intake of artificially sweetened beverages. According to him, reducing diet soda intake can help reduce appetite, improve weight management, and improve overall health.
Donat
People over 50 who are concerned about heart health need to avoid donuts. “Donuts aren’t just fried, which puts a lot of unhealthy fat into your system. Donuts are also loaded with carbohydrates and refined sugars, which can lead to weight gain and increase the risk of heart disease,” explains Susan Bowerman, certified specialist in obesity and weight management and senior director of worldwide nutrition education for Herbalife Nutrition.
He describes refined carbohydrates and sugar as well as testing the body’s ability to process them so that as people age, many people become insulin resistant or have prediabetes, which increases the risk heart disease.
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