Eating at a restaurant with loved ones can be one of life’s greatest pleasures. Whether you’re celebrating something special or just want to treat yourself to a nice meal, there’s always a good reason to go to your favorite dinner spot. However, if you’re trying to stay health, it’s important to be conscious of what you’re ordering and how it could affect your body. This is especially true when it comes to your heart; many restaurants feature fried foods that could lead to clogged arteries and increase your risk of heart disease when eaten in excess. Some of the biggest culprits are appetizers.
While there are many unhealthy appetizers out there, we spoke to nutritionist Lisa Richards, creator of The Candida Diet, to get the scoop on what she’d consider to be the worst option for your heart health. Unfortunately, she says that ever-delicious mozzarella sticks are among the worst offenders. Read on to learn more about how this cheesy appetizer could put you at risk of heart disease.
Mozzarella sticks and heart health
Let's be real: a lot of appetizers are fried, and no fried food is going to be good for your heart. "Fried foods integrate an excessive amount of saturated fat and calories that are simply unnecessary and can be avoided," Richards says. "However, there are some that are agreeably much worse in terms of nutrition, than others."
She says that in addition to their fried nature, mozzarella sticks come with several other downsides that could clog your arteries. "Mozzarella sticks are not only fried, but they contain high fat-cheese as well," Richards warns. "This appetizer is one of the worst for arteries because it contains a significant amount of calories and fat along with the inflammatory nature of the ingredients."
Inflammatory ingredients could pose a further risk to your heart; Richards explains that since mozzarella sticks contain both gluten and dairy, they could be especially harmful to people with intolerances to these ingredients and can even "lead to bloating and weight gain."
Does this mean you have to skip appetizers altogether? Certainly not! There are healthy options out there. Plus, if mozzarella sticks are really calling your name, indulging every once in a while won't kill you.
Just remember that keeping your heart in the best shape possible is all about making healthy choices every day, so when you skip the mozz sticks, your body will certainly thank you for it in the long run.
READ MORE: 3 Things To Stop Doing Because They Could Lead To Heart Disease
