Making the health of your heart a priority is an important part of maintaining your overall wellness. And when it comes to keeping your heart in great shape, one of the best things you can do is follow a nutritious, balanced diet. In addition to adding antioxidant-rich foods to your plate, limiting your intake of certain foods can also make a major difference. There are a number of foods you should steer clear of, but one of the worst categories is processed meat. According to experts, that includes one popular option in particular: ground sausage.
To learn more about how ground sausage could be clogging your arteries and increasing your risk of heart disease, we spoke to nutritionist Lisa Richards, creator of The Candida Diet. She broke down the affects and risks for us. Find all of her expert insight below.
How ground sausage affects heart health
There's no denying that ground sausage is a popular (and delicious) ingredient that you might enjoy in a range of meals, especially when breakfast rolls around. However, as tasty as it can be, it can also do some serious damage to your health—including that of your heart.
"Ground sausage is often considered an artery-clogging meat due to its high content of saturated fat and cholesterol," Richards warns. "Sausage typically consists of fatty cuts of pork or other meats, which are ground and mixed with various seasonings."
According to her, the main issue with this meat is all of that saturated fat, which is one of the worst things to put into your body if you want to keep your heart healthy. "[Saturated fat] is known to raise levels of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream, contributing to the buildup of plaque in the arteries," she explains. "This can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems." Yikes!
On top of this unhealthy fat, there are a number of other harmful ingredients in sausage that could put your heart at risk. "Sausage is often processed with additives, preservatives, and high levels of sodium, which can exacerbate these health concerns by contributing to hypertension and water retention," Richards warns. Sodium, in particular, is known to lead to a range of risks when consumed in excess.
Does this mean you can never enjoy a sausage-egg-and-cheese again? Not necessarily. However, cutting back on sausage is definitely a good idea. "While sausage can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet, frequent consumption can significantly increase the risk of heart-related issues, making it important to choose leaner protein sources and minimize saturated fat intake," Richards concludes. Got it!
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