Cardiac patients must balance low-sodium intake with heart-healthy fats like olive oil. Avoid artery-clogging foods and focus on nutrients that reverse plaque buildup.
Plaque buildup in the arteries, known as atherosclerosis, is most commonly due to two types of dietary fats: saturated fats and trans fats. Consuming high amounts of each of these fats will cause bad, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels to rise.
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Sterols, also known as steroid alcohols, are a class of chemicals that play multiple important roles in the body. They have parts that can dissolve in fat-like molecules and parts that can dissolve in water.
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Fat stored in the belly, called visceral fat, is different from subcutaneous fat stored elsewhere. According to Harvard Medical School, belly fat indicates a greater risk of heart disease and diabetes.
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Your heart contains four valves: pulmonary, aortic, tricuspid and mitral. According to the Mayo Clinic, calcification of one of these valves can occur as you grow older. However, it also can occur if you do not watch your diet and eat foods high in cholesterol or fat.
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Not all carbohydrates are equal -- especially when it comes to their effect on cholesterol. Some carbohydrates raise cholesterol, while others lower it. You find carbohydrates in breads, cereals, grains, milk, yogurt, fruits, vegetables, and foods that contain added sugars.
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Although sodium is essential for a healthy body, a significant majority of Americans eat more than twice the recommended amount, according to the American Heart Association. While those salty snacks might be tantalizing to the taste buds, they’re quite dangerous to the body’s health.
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When it comes to cholesterol, drinking alcohol is a matter of balance. On the one hand, drinking moderate amounts of alcohol have been shown to improve "good" cholesterol levels and have been linked with reduced incidence of heart disease.
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Between-meal snacks may play a crucial role in your diet plan if you feel hungry and need an energy boost during the day. The calories in these foods, however, can quickly add up if you are not careful. With a considerable amount of fat, sesame sticks are no exception and should be eaten in small portions.
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