Study claims these two popular foods increase risk of heart disease

We are all aware that sugary drinks Like soda, cold drinks and other carbonated beverages, they are not good for your health, but did you know that they can increase your risk of heart disease Significantly? Yes, you read that right. A recent Harvard study has revealed that sugary drinks and processed meats can significantly increase the risk of heart disease.

Health experts have long warned against consuming sugary sodas and processed meats due to their negative effects on heart healthExcessive sugar consumption has been linked to chronic inflammation of the heart and blood vessels, while processed meats (preserved by salting, curing, smoking or chemical additives) are known to increase blood pressure.

A recent study by researchers at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health has reinforced these concerns. The study tracked the dietary habits of more than 200,000 healthcare professionals for nearly 30 years, focusing on their consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF). The researchers set out to determine whether these participants developed heart disease or suffered strokes over time. The study, published in The Lancet, found that consumption of sugary drinks, both regular and artificially sweetened, as well as processed meats, significantly increased the risk of heart disease.

The study found that 57 percent of the average U.S. adult’s diet is made up of UPFs, which often contain excess calories, added sugars, sodium and unhealthy fats. To better understand the effects of UPFs, researchers divided them into 10 categories:

– Bread and cereals (with subcategories of breakfast cereals, whole grain bread and refined grain bread)

– Sauces, spreads and condiments

– Packaged sweet snacks and desserts

– Packaged salty snacks

– Sugary drinks

– Processed meats (including red meat, poultry and fish)

– Ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat meals

– Desserts based on yogurt and dairy products.

– Strong liquors

– Artificially sweetened beverages

The study found that the most commonly consumed UPFs were bread and cereals, sweet snacks and desserts, and ready-made meals. However, the researchers stressed that not all UPFs are equally harmful. For example, certain salty snacks, cold cereals, and yogurt- or dairy-based desserts were linked to a lower risk of heart disease. Additionally, ultra-processed bread and cold cereals were associated with a lower risk of stroke.

The study’s authors suggested that improving the nutritional quality of these foods by reducing sodium, saturated fat, added sugars and unnecessary additives could improve their overall value. For example, whole-grain bread and cold cereals could be made healthier by these modifications.

Despite these findings, the researchers stressed that consumption of sugary drinks and processed meats should be discouraged due to their clear link to heart disease. They also noted that the nutritional quality of ultra-processed foods should be carefully considered before consuming them.

However, the study had some limitations, including a lack of detailed information on how the foods were processed. Also, the participants were not very diverse and there were a limited number of non-white people.