Clogged arteries are caused by the cholesterol which settles down in the artery walls. This causes inflammation in the artery walls and hardens to form plaque. Plaque build-up in arteries can be deadly as they can block blood flow to various organs. Heart attacks and strokes are caused by this plaque build-up. The question is, what causes the cholesterol to settle in arteries?

There is no direct answer to it. More of LDL (bad cholesterol) and less HDL (good cholesterol) is the primary cause of this. There are various factors like heredity, age, and smoking that have an impact on cholesterol levels. However, there is one thing that plays a major role. Food.

Foods that cause clogged arteries

What we put inside our body, obviously, has a great impact on our health. The food we eat on an everyday basis could a slow poison which we may not even be aware of. The foods that cause clogged arteries can be brought under two heads.

Saturated Fats

Not all fats are bad. But saturated fat is. It is a kind of fat that is usually found in animal products and increases the LDL levels in the body. This increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes. If you eating a large number of saturated fats as a part of your diet, then you have high chances of blocked arteries.

List of foods containing saturated fats (non-exhaustive):

  • Pizza
  • Burger
  • Chicken and Chicken based food
  • Beef and beef-based dishes
  • Whole milk
  • Pasta
  • Processed meat like bacon and bologna
  • Ribs
  • Diary based desserts like ice creams
  • Regular cheese
  • Palm oil and coconut oils in processed foods

The alternative is to eat foods with unsaturated fats like nuts, lean meats, fatty fish and fat-free milk.

Trans fats

Unlike saturated fat, trans fat is man-made and is more harmful. While it is okay to consume saturated fats in moderation (7% of your meal), it is best to avoid trans fat completely. Trans fat is a result of chemically altering vegetable oils in order to improve the food products’ shelf life. They are said to increase LDL and decrease HDL simultaneously which causes plaque build-up.

List of foods containing Trans-fat:

  • Crackers, cookies, and biscuits
  • Pastries
  • Frozen foods like pizzas and pies
  • Margarine and vegetable shortening
  • Fast-foods like French fries and burger
  • Coffee creamer

Most of the packed foods have found to contain trans fat. The best way to avoid is to check the label before buying a product. If it contains hydrogenated oils or partially hydrogenated oil in the list of ingredients, then it has trans fat.

While you do not have much trouble immediately after eating these foods that cause clogged arteries, you will suffer in the long term. If it is not possible to completely eliminate them from the diet, try your best to reduce their intake. Eat more fruit, vegetables and whole grains for better heart health and to fight plaque build-up.

With that said, do you know about the Oxidized Cholesterol Strategy? It helps individuals who are looking to remove Cholesterol plaque from their arteries naturally without any medications. Please watch the video below.

The Oxidized Cholesterol Strategy


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