News

Two breakfast foods that Brits love so much could increase risk of heart disease

Many of us rely on quick and easy meals to fit our busy lifestyles. While it has certain benefits, there is growing concern about how it might affect our health. Studies have shown that certain processed foods can put us at risk for serious heart problems.

Health authorities have been warning about the potential dangers of ultra-processed foods for years.

Ultra-processed foods have evolved a lot and are often high in salt, sugar, fat, and industrial chemical additives such as preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, artificial colors and flavors.

A quick guide to determining if a food is ultra-processed is if it contains five or more ingredients.

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) warns that two breakfast foods that many Britons enjoy are classified as ultra-processed – cereal and fruit yogurts.

READ MORE: Drink that makes arteries ‘stretchable’ may reduce risk of early death

And if you love toast in the morning, it’s worth checking out what type of bread you’re using, as BHF classifies mass-produced bread as ultra-processed.

Why are these foods bad for my heart?

A study published in the British Medical Journal in 2019 found that people who eat ultra-processed foods are at a “higher” risk of heart disease.

Cardiovascular disease refers to any disease of the heart or blood vessels and is one of the leading causes of death in the UK.

As part of the study, the health and dietary habits of more than 105,000 French people were assessed over a period of approximately five years.

Do not miss…
‘Essential Mineral’ May Amplify Aging Effects of High-Fat Diet [INFORMER]
Swelling in four parts of the body may signal fatty liver disease [INSIGHT]
New study shows edible flower could be key to fighting obesity [STUDY]

They were divided into four groups based on how much ultra-processed food they ate as a percentage of their average daily diet.

This ranged from 7.5% for the lowest consumers to 30.8% for the highest.

During a mean follow-up period of 5.2 pears, it was found that every 10% increase in consumption of highly processed foods was associated with a 12% increase in cardiovascular disease.

The study states: “In this large, observational, prospective study, higher consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular, ischemic, and cerebrovascular disease.”

READ MORE: Doctor noticed blood ‘splattered’ all over the toilet even before he was diagnosed with bowel cancer

The researchers thought there was enough evidence to trigger official warnings about eating too much ultra-processed food.

“Even if it remains unclear which specific processes, compounds, or subtypes of ultra-processed foods are more important, evidence is accumulating of an association between an increase in the overall proportion of ultra-processed foods in the diet and an increased risk of certain chronic diseases. the study says.

“Therefore, it is important to educate consumers about these associations and implement actions to reformulate foods (for example, improve nutritional quality and reduce the use of unnecessary additives), tax and inform to limit the proportion of ultra-processed foods in the diet, and encourage the consumption of unprocessed or minimally processed foods instead. .

“As a precaution, several countries such as France and Brazil have already included these recommendations in their official nutritional guidelines.”

Other foods that are considered ultra-processed include: