5 Foods That Cause Plaque Buildup in the Arteries Experts Want You To Avoid
We all know to some extent that what we eat can affect our heart health.
But knowing exactly what foods to avoid and the ones to add to your diet can help safeguard your heart and prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Fortunately, eating for your heart isn’t all that complicated.
One of the easiest ways to get started is to avoid foods that cause plaque buildup in the arteries.
Instead, add foods that clear the clogged arteries naturally to your diet regularly.
What Causes Plaque Buildup in the Arteries
According to Harvard Health, plaques that form inside the artery walls can grow and thicken the walls over time. These harmful plaques are actually fatty deposits that are made up of cholesterol and other substances like calcium (1, 2).
When the plaque buildup grows within the arteries, it blocks blood flow and causes inflammation.
In some worse cases, the plaque buildup can lead to heart attack, blood clots, strokes, and other heart diseases (3).
So how does this plaque buildup happens? American Heart Association links high blood pressure and high cholesterol as possible causes (2).
And modern science now knows that certain foods can cause an elevated level of cholesterol.
The good news is that we can manage our cholesterol level by focusing on healthy foods and avoiding those that up fatty deposits.
Experts know that foods that contain low-density lipoprotein (LDL) are among the foods that lead to plaque buildup. They should be avoided to reduce the risk of heart disease.
The ones you want to eat more of are those that contain high-density lipoprotein (HDL). They work reverse of LDL, removing cholesterol and preventing plaque buildup in the arteries.
5 Worst Foods That Plaque Your Arteries
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Here are the 5 worst foods that lead to blood clots and plaque buildup in the arteries and should be avoided.
5 Worst Foods That Plaque Your Arteries
Here are the 10 worst foods that lead to blood clots and plaque buildup in the arteries and should be avoided.
1. Fatty Steak
Marbled, fatty cut of steak makes the juiciest steak. I know. But when it comes to its saturated fat content, it’s not looking so pretty anymore. Saturated fat is one of the worst you can have for your heart, and fatty steaks have plenty of them.
Experts recommend limiting saturated fat intake to less than 10% of your daily calories. For those on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, that’s about 200 calories or 22 grams of saturated fats per day (4).
According to USDA, in a 291-gram ribeye steak, there are 28 grams of saturated fats (5).
Instead, choose leaner cuts like sirloin to cut back on your unhealthy fat intake.
2. Heavy Cream
Another source of high saturated fat is dairy. While most dairies contain some level of saturated fat, one of the worst offenders is heavy cream.
Even a slight 1 oz of heavy cream can net you 7 grams of saturated fat, making up more than 35% of your daily recommended amount (6).
If you are in a habit of using heavy cream often in your cooking, start substituting it with non-dairy milk like oat, almond, and soy milk.
3. Sausages
Sausages are a high-protein breakfast staple. While protein is an important macronutrient for the first meal of the day. But overloading on sausage links can lead to a high cholesterol intake.
USDA indicates 1 link (100 grams) of sausage can net you up to 8.71 grams of saturated fat.
If you must, be sure to choose healthy alternatives like chicken and turkey sausages to reduce your LDL.
4. Cream-Based Dressings
Avoiding LDL isn’t just about reducing red meat, dairy, and processed meats. Certain plant-based oils like palm oil and palm kernel oil are common in conventional dressings.
Cream-based dressings may contain both dairy and unhealthy oil. Together, they make dressings a high-risk add-on for otherwise healthy salads.
When choosing dressings, be sure to check the labels for their saturated fat content.
5 Worst Foods That Plaque Your Arteries
Here are the 10 worst foods that lead to a blood clots and plaque buildup in the arteries and should be avoided.
1. Fatty Steak
Marbled, fatty cut of steak makes the juiciest steak. I know. But when it comes to its saturated fat content, it’s not looking so pretty anymore. Saturated fat is one of the worst you can have for your heart, and fatty steaks have plenty of them.
Experts recommend limiting saturated fat intake to less than 10% of your daily calories. For those on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, that’s about 200 calories or 22 grams of saturated fats per day (4).
According to USDA, in a 291-gram ribeye steak, there are 28 grams of saturated fats (5).
Instead, choose leaner cuts like sirloin to cut back on your unhealthy fat intake.
2. Heavy Cream
Another source of high saturated fat is dairy. While most dairy contains some level of saturated fat, one of the worst offenders is heavy cream.
Even a slight 1 oz of heavy cream can net you 7 grams of saturated fat, making up more than 35% of your daily recommended amount (6).
If you are in a habit of using heavy cream often in your cooking, start substituting it with non-dairy milk like oat, almond, and soy milk.
3. Sausages
Sausages are a high-protein breakfast staple. While protein is an important macronutrient for the first meal of the day. But overloading on sausage links can lead to a high cholesterol intake.
USDA indicates 1 link (100 grams) of sausage can net you up to 8.71 grams of saturated fat.
If you must, be sure to choose healthy alternatives like chicken and turkey sausages to reduce your LDL.
4. Cream-Based Dressings
Avoiding LDL isn’t just about reducing red meat, dairy, and processed meats. Certain plant-based oils like palm oil and palm kernel oil are common in conventional dressings.
Cream-based dressings may contain both dairy and unhealthy oil. Together, they make dressings a high-risk add-on for otherwise healthy salads.
When choosing dressings, be sure to check the labels for their saturated fat content.
5. Butter
We can’t conclude the list without mentioning butter. Butter as we know it is an animal fat made from churned cream of milk. Most butter products are made using cow milk.
Butter is one tasty staple for morning toasts and in many cookings. However, using generously can easily help spike your LDL and potentially lead to clogged arteries.
One table of butter consists of 7 grams of saturated fat. If you use a few tablespoons on toast every morning, that’s a whopping 21 grams.
It’s not one food you need to avoid completely, yet being conscious of use can help protect your heart and lower your risk of heart disease.