This Is the Absolute Worst Food for Your Arteries, According to Cardiologists

Emily Laurence

An assortment of unhealthy food

There’s no question that what we eat and drink directly impacts heart health—an abundance of scientific studies have made this very clear. Even if you’ve just casually looked into how to eat with heart health in mind, you’ve likely seen the Mediterranean diet recommended as the healthiest eating plan to follow. And even if you’ve never heard of the Mediterranean diet, you’ve still likely heard that a healthy diet is one that’s high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes.

Part of keeping the heart healthy is reducing the risk of plaque, which can clog arteries. Plaque buildup is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. Smoking, stress and anxiety, living a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are all risk factors for plaque buildup.

When it comes to diet, there’s one food in particular that cardiologists agree is the absolute worst for the arteries. Keep reading to find out what it is.

Related: Want To Improve Your Heart Quickly? Here's How, According to Doctors

Why Are Healthy Arteries Important?

Dr. Harlan Krumholz, MD, SM, a Professor of Cardiology at Yale School of Medicine, explains that arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood and nutrients that your body needs. “They are vital to your health, as you need these conduits to enable healthy blood flow,” he says.

Dr. Mary Greene, MD, a cardiologist with Manhattan Cardiology and a contributor to LabFinder, adds to this, saying that, in general, arteries are blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood away from the heart and deliver blood to your organs. (She explains that there are a few exceptions to this rule, namely the pulmonary arteries and umbilical arteries.)

Related: This Is the #1 Sign Someone Has a Healthy Heart, According to Cardiologists

If you want to keep your arteries healthy, Dr. Greene says that exercising regularly (the American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic exercise), getting adequate sleep and minimizing stress are all crucial. Additionally, she says that anyone over 40 or who has a strong family history of heart disease can benefit from meeting with a cardiologist.

Not surprisingly, both cardiologists say that eating a nutrient-rich diet is also important for maintaining healthy arteries. Scientific studies have shown that a diet high in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes and omega-3 fatty acids (found in foods such as fish, olive oil and walnuts) can play a major role in maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system.

Related: Make These 7 Lifestyle Changes for a Healthier Heart

The Worst Food for Arteries, According to Cardiologists

Okay, so you know what foods to prioritize if you want healthy arteries. But what about which foods to avoid? Both Dr. Krumholz and Dr. Greene say that hands down the worst food for arteries is fried food. “The absolute worst food for your arteries are foods that are cooked with inflammatory oils, which include almost all cooking oils with the exception of extra-virgin olive oil and avocado oil,” Dr. Greene explains. She adds that even these healthy oils should be used sparingly and not to deep-fry foods.

Dr. Krumholz wholeheartedly agrees (no pun intended), saying that trans fats, which are typically found in partially hydrogenated oils and in many processed and fried foods, have been found to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. One scientific study found that for every 2% increase of trans fats in one’s diet there is a 23% increased risk of heart disease.

Related: Cardiologists Swear By This One Daily Habit to Improve Heart Health 

The reason why trans fats are so bad for cardiovascular health is because they raise LDL cholesterol (that’s the “bad” kind) while also lowering HDL cholesterol (the “good” kind). Trans fats are so detrimental to health that the Food and Drug Administration has banned food manufacturers from using partially hydrogenated oils. However, Dr. Greene says that trans fats can still pop up in ultra-processed foods and because of this, it’s best to avoid packaged, processed foods when possible.

Any deep-fried food (such as French fries, onion rings, fried seafood and tater tots) is also a source of trans fats. It’s one reason why the air fryer has become so popular; it “fries” food with air instead of dangerous oils.

If you want to keep your arteries healthy, cutting fried foods out of your diet is a great place to start. It’s advice cardiologists wish everyone would take to, well, heart!

Next up, find out the best type of exercise for heart health, according to a cardiologist. 

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