The food you eat directly impacts your cardiovascular system. While some dietary habits lead to physical problems that affect your heart, others can prevent negative issues and reduce your risk. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that nearly 50 percent of deaths were linked to poor dietary habits. Heart attack and stroke are the two leading causes of death in the United States, so avoiding certain foods and increasing the intake of others is essential for maintaining heart health.

Complex carbohydrates

One way to improve your cardiovascular health is by increasing your intake of complex carbohydrates. These are whole grains and their flours. These foods contain more fiber and nutrients than simple carbohydrates and allow your body to use them gradually. As a result, you will feel fuller for longer. Besides, the slow release of sugar helps you feel full longer. However, it’s still important to limit your intake of starchy, refined grains. You can substitute them with more complex carbohydrates if you’d prefer.

While simple sugars are not bad for your heart, they can increase your blood pressure and contribute to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. They can also contribute to inflammation and oxidative stress. In addition to their detrimental effects on the cardiovascular system, simple sugars are linked to obesity and a host of other chronic lifestyle diseases. In fact, researchers found a correlation between simple and complex carbohydrates and increased risk of heart disease. To understand how complex carbohydrates affect cardiovascular health, you must know how they affect your diet.

Saturated fats

Saturated fats affect your cardiovascular health, but how much is too much? Generally, the goal for healthy eating is to eat more unsaturated fat than saturated fat. Foods that contain lower amounts of saturated fat are chicken, peanuts, and nuts. Coconut oil is a common source of 82% saturated fat. Saturated fats increase the amount of unhealthy cholesterol in your blood, putting you at increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

The effects of saturated fats on cardiovascular health have long been known. But some people are not aware that these types of fats have negative effects on cardiovascular health. The consumption of dairy products, for example, is not linked to an increased risk of heart disease. The consumption of less-processed dairy products is low in saturated fat and has little or no salt added. Dairy products are a common source of saturated fat.

Fiber

The evidence supporting the protective effect of fibre on CHD is limited to a few studies and does not apply to the whole population. For example, a systematic review of prospective cohort studies has shown that the intake of soluble and insoluble fibre was not associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. The researchers also found that a higher intake of soluble fiber was not associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, but only an inverse association was observed when total fibre was measured.

The benefits of fiber stem from its ability to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Moreover, a high-fiber diet helps you feel fuller, which means you eat less and therefore lose weight. However, a lack of awareness of these benefits is one of the factors that make it difficult for people to reap the benefits of dietary fiber. For this reason, young adults should try to incorporate fiber into their diets as much as possible.

Dietary patterns

There is considerable evidence that dietary patterns are important factors in maintaining cardiovascular health. In addition to specific nutrients and foods, dietary patterns can also predict disease risk. In this study, dietary patterns were associated with lower BP, UAE, and baPWV. The researchers attributed this to the antioxidant benefits of fruits and vegetables. According to these findings, dietary patterns may be more important than specific food-based approaches.

The relationship between dietary patterns and risk of CVD was most apparent when the HEI, AMED, and AHEI scores were high. Although the correlations were similar across racial/ethnic groups, the results of the AMED were different. The HEI-2015 was significantly associated with decreased risk of CVD, whereas the HPDI had the opposite effect. This study shows that dietary patterns do affect risk of cardiovascular disease.

Blood pressure

The American Heart Association recommends that people limit saturated fats and replace them with polyunsaturated fats. These fats are found in animal products and tropical oils. They raise “bad” cholesterol levels in the blood and increase the risk of atherosclerosis. You can replace these foods with whole grains, such as brown rice, pasta, and cereals. But you should limit your consumption of sugary drinks, such as soda, which can increase your blood fat levels.

Despite the fact that diet has a direct impact on the risk of cardiovascular disease, it is not completely understandable how it influences the development of CVD. Studies have shown that diets containing high amounts of omega-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may reduce the risk of CVD. Additionally, lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking and improving the quality of sleep may help manage risk factors.

Genetic factors

The genes your parents pass on can increase your risk for certain heart diseases. For example, familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is caused by a gene mutation, thickening the heart muscle. Those with this genetic disorder have a 50 percent chance of developing the disease themselves. Genetic factors for atherosclerosis, a major cause of heart disease, have been discovered by researchers. One gene, known as LDLR, is on chromosome 19 and is associated with high levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.

The researchers studied the findings of 875 Germans who had survived a heart attack before the age of 60. They compared these people with 1,600 individuals without heart problems. Combining the data, they identified six genetic variants associated with increased risk for heart attacks. They found variants near the MTHFD1L gene, the PSRC1 gene, the MIA3 gene, and the SMAD3 gene. However, they did not determine whether the CXCL12 gene variant affects heart disease risk.