Don't let your breakfast habits strain your heart! A cardiologist warns against these things for breakfast...
While breakfast is known as the most important meal of the day, some seemingly innocent food choices can pose serious risks to cardiovascular health. Cardiology Specialist Prof. Dr. İstemihan Tengiz emphasized that foods high in salt, trans fat , and sugar can lead to long-term problems such as arteriosclerosis, hypertension, and heart failure, and explained the key points for a healthy breakfast.
Explaining how some foods frequently consumed at breakfast pose risks to cardiovascular health, Prof. Dr. İstemihan Tengiz said, "Depending on the foods consumed and the frequency of their consumption, we can encounter various heart diseases .
For example, foods like margarines and processed sausages containing trans fats pose a risk for atherosclerosis, while salty foods (cheese, olives, tomato paste, or some breakfast foods prepared with tomato paste) can also lead to hypertension and heart failure. Salty foods can trigger hypertension and heart failure, while foods containing fat or trans fats can also cause atherosclerosis.
Highlighting the negative effects of salty, fatty, and sugary foods on heart health, Prof. Dr. İstemihan Tengiz said, "High salt consumption increases sodium levels, leading to edema and hypertension. In a patient with heart failure, this can disrupt the existing balanced state (compensated state) and worsen the disease (become decompensated). For example, if a patient with controlled blood pressure consumes too much salt, medication may be inadequate. Similarly, if a person with pre-hypertension consumes high-salt foods, they may need medication and their disease may progress to the next stage. Trans fats accelerate the process of atherosclerosis by increasing cholesterol. High-sugar foods, on the other hand, contribute to atherosclerosis by oxidizing LDL cholesterol. Furthermore, excessive sugar consumption predisposes to cataract formation and the more likely occurrence of diabetes-related complications."
Prof. Dr. İstemihan Tengiz stated that some foods considered healthy for breakfast pose risks, particularly due to their salt content. He said, "First and foremost, olives are a healthy food. However, the salt content in olives is something to be mindful of. Furthermore, the additives and salt content of processed foods like sausage and salami are important for us. Trans fats, especially those used for breakfast, such as margarine, butter, and kaymak, are among the foods that should be consumed with caution. Therefore, it's important to be well-aware of the content and composition of the foods we consume. My suggestion is to choose unprocessed, freshly prepared foods that are low in salt and fat, low in calories, and have a low glycemic index."
"RISK INCREASES AS FREQUENCY INCREASES"Prof. Dr. İstemihan Tengiz, emphasizing the importance of consuming heart-harming foods, said, "The risk increases with frequency. The risk of someone eating kokoreç every day is not the same as that of someone eating kokoreç once a month. Therefore, we can say that the risk increases linearly with frequency."
Prof. Dr. İstemihan Tengiz, discussing what to consider when choosing meals for a healthy breakfast, said, "Foods with a low glycemic index, meaning they are low in carbohydrates, should be high in protein; for example, egg whites should be allowed, but yolks should be restricted. If possible, it is recommended that fiber-rich foods, such as green foods like cress and arugula, dominate the breakfast table."
(İHA) This content was published by Sedef Karatay
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