Seven foods that raise the risk of a heart attack

Our guide to the foods to limit to reduce heart attack risk, plus suggested swaps for better heart health

It’s the biggest killer in the UK and, despite killing twice as many women as breast cancer, heart disease is often misdiagnosed among the gender. It’s also the leading cause of heart attacks – when part of the heart suddenly loses its blood supply.
A healthy diet is one of the key ways to reduce your risk. But, even if your diet is far from perfect, it’s worth knowing which foods you should be trying to cut back on to keep your heart pumping at full strength.
You can’t beat a mountain of bacon stuffed between two slices of white bread. But made with four rashers, it contains around 6.6g of saturated fat. That’s before you’ve even added a good spread of butter or doused it in your choice of sauce. 
A diet high in saturated fat is one of the biggest contributors to poor heart health. For this reason, men are told to eat no more than 30g daily, while women are meant to stick to 20g – but less is better.
“Eating too much saturated fat reduces the liver’s ability to remove LDL (bad) cholesterol from the blood,” explains Tracy Parker, a dietitian and nutrition lead at the British Heart Foundation. “This leads to a build-up of fatty material in the walls of blood vessels, which narrows them and reduces blood flow to the heart, increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke.”
As well as bacon, other foods high in saturated fat – so also worth limiting – are sausages (about 9.8g per two), burgers (9.8g), butter (7.8g per tablespoon) and coconut oil (13g per tablespoon).
“A bacon sandwich once a week can be part of a healthy diet if you balance it with nutritious foods and healthier cooking methods,” says Parker. “Choose grilled lean unsmoked bacon, limit it to two rashers and use wholegrain bread instead of buttered white bread.” However, it is still better to opt for healthier sandwich fillings, such as roast chicken breast, lean beef or pork, eggs and fish, she adds.
The majority of us tuck into crisps at least once a week but, as they’re high in salt (around 0.3g per 25g pack), they may contribute to heart disease. We’re supposed to have no more than 6g per day, with less being healthier.
“Eating too much salt can lead to high blood pressure,” Parker says. This occurs because salt forces the body to retain water, increasing the volume of blood being pumped around the body and the pressure on blood vessel walls.
Over time, this high blood pressure can damage artery walls, making it easier for fatty deposits to build up. “Ultimately, this narrowing of the arteries reduces blood flow to the heart, increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke,” she explains.
Bread, processed meats and shop-bought sauces are among the other everyday culprits in our diet that are high in salt. “It is very important to check food labels when you are shopping to help you choose products that are lower in salt,” she says. Opt for green salt labels where possible, which mean there is less than 0.3g of salt per 100g.
Crisps offer little nutritional value, so “should be considered an occasional treat rather than a regular part of your diet,” Parker says. “Choose crisps made with healthier oils, like sunflower or rapeseed, and a lower salt content, and stick to single serve bags rather than eating from sharing bags to avoid overeating.” A handful of unsalted nuts or plain popcorn would make a healthier savoury snack, she adds.
We’re a nation of sugar lovers. Kit Kat, Galaxy and Twix are among our favourite snacks. However, a diet that includes too many of these sugary foods could lead to heart problems.
“Diets that are high in sugar tend to be higher in calories too, which can lead to weight gain and obesity,” explains Parker. People who are overweight require more blood to be moved around their body, which increases blood pressure – a common cause of heart attacks.
However, research has also shown that a high-sugar diet can worsen heart health, even in those who are a healthy weight. It is thought that it may be down to the liver becoming overloaded with sugar, which may trigger fatty liver disease and Type 2 diabetes, both of which raise the risk of heart problems.
To reduce your risk, eat no more than 30g (seven teaspoons) a day of free sugars – those added to food and drink or found in honey, syrup and fruit juice, as opposed to those that occur naturally in fruit, vegetables and milk, says Parker.
A large slice of cake (39g), Twix Xtra (36g) and a can of Coca-Cola (35g) all exceed this amount. “Baked goods should be considered as a treat and not an everyday food,” says Parker.
If you’re hankering for a sweet treat, she suggests grabbing a piece of fruit, a natural yogurt, plain biscuit, malt loaf.
Sausages are high in saturated fat and contain quite a bit of salt –  neither of which are great for heart health. But they’re also an ultra-processed food (UPF), which may pose a risk of its own.
Research suggests that eating lots of UPFs (foods containing ingredients you wouldn’t find in your kitchen cupboard, such as emulsifiers and preservatives) may trigger high blood pressure, even after their high salt, sugar and saturated fat contents have been accounted for – suggesting that processes or ingredients linked to ultra-processing are harmful.
That study was observational, so doesn’t prove that UPFs increase the risk of heart problems, Parker notes. However, “the study underscores the importance of focusing on whole, minimally processed foods, which are naturally low in salt, fat and sugar, and which we know are good for our hearts,” she says.
One serving of sausages per week can be included in a healthy diet, Parker adds. Don’t buy plant-based sausages just because they seem healthier, as they are still processed and can contain even higher levels of saturated fat and salt, she notes. Instead, opt for “lean meat like chicken, turkey or pork”, which is lower in saturated fat and salt, Parker recommends.
We’re all supposed to be eating around five to seven portions of carbohydrates per day, equating to around half our calorie intake, as carbs are the body’s main source of energy.
However, processed carbohydrates (the white options of bread, rice, pasta and breakfast cereals) may harm our heart health, as it means we’re missing out on the wholegrain option. 
“When grains are refined to make white rice or white flour for white bread, pasta and most packaged cakes, biscuits and pastries, their bran and germ are removed,” explains Parker. This strips away most of their nutrients and fibre and speeds up how quickly they’re digested, which means they’re less filling, she says.
“This is why it’s important you keep your grains ‘whole’. They contain extra fibre, vitamins and minerals, polyphenols and heart-healthy fats, which help lower your risk of coronary heart disease and Type 2 diabetes,” Parker notes.
For better heart health, opt for wholegrain bread, rice, pasta and noodles, rather than white options – only eating these a few times per week – and buy wholegrain porridge, puffed brown rice or bran flakes instead of white rice cereals and cornflakes, she suggests.
Despite seeming like a healthy and light meal, tinned soups are often high in salt and sugar. A tin of Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup has 2.8g of salt and Heinz tomato soup contains 19.4g of sugar.
Eating them too frequently may contribute to heart problems, if they cause you to exceed recommended salt and sugar intakes.
“Checking food labels is useful, even for foods that are perceived as healthy,” says Parker. “Food marked as healthy can still contain hidden ingredients you wouldn’t expect – higher levels of sugar, salt, unhealthy fats or additives.”
“Tinned soup can be a healthy choice if you choose the right ones – those low in salt and no added sugar,” she says. “Opt for those with plenty of vegetables, lean protein and added wholegrains as they will provide more vitamins, minerals and fibre and be more filling.”
Homemade soup will be healthier as you can add vegetables, protein and wholegrains and make use of herbs and spices to improve taste without adding salt and sugar, she says. Alternatively, make tinned soup more nutritious by adding frozen or tinned vegetables, or leftover rice or paste, Parker suggests.
Ice cream is high in saturated fat, sugar and salt, making it especially bad for heart health.
“Eating too much can increase your risk of high blood pressure, cholesterol, obesity and Type 2 diabetes which are all risk factors for heart and circulatory diseases like heart attack and stroke,” Parker says. 
Ice cream should be considered a treat rather than an everyday food, she says. “It’s important to find healthier alternatives that can satisfy your sweet or salty cravings, such as fruit for sweetness or unsalted nuts for a crunchy snack,” she adds.
The next time you’re craving ice cream, have a small portion, or opt for some frozen yogurt with berries or banana, Parker suggests.
Don’t assume sorbet is healthier, she warns. While it’s lower in fat, it is full of sugar. Similarly, low-fat or fat-free ice creams are often packed with added sugar to compensate for the reduced fat, Parker notes.