Foods that are bad for the heart

SALT

Many people know that eating too much salt can raise their blood pressure. But not everyone realizes that uncontrolled high BP can cause their arteries to harden and narrow, increasing the risk of heart disease. That's not all: New research has also linked obesity to high sodium intake while another study found that overweight men with the highest salt intakes were 61 percent more likely to die of heart disease than those who consume less of the mineral.

ICECREAM

A healthy adult should consume no more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol a day. A cup of certain Ben and Jerry's flavors contain more than a third of the day's intake (130 grams!)—and so do plenty of other creamy, cool treats. To indulge in something icy without freezing out your heart, make a batch of banana ice cream. Here's how: Slice two bananas and place them in a bag and freeze overnight. The next day, blend them up on high with some milk and almond butter until the mixture reaches a consistency that resembles ice cream. Shavings of dark chocolate make for a tasty topping, as do raspberries—a potent heart-healthy food. High fiber foods like raspberries have been shown to reduce levels of bad cholesterol in the blood, according to the Mayo Clinic.

FRIED CHICKEN

Grilled chicken breast is one of the best 29 Best-Ever Proteins for Weight Loss, but when you keep the skin on and dunk it into a deep fryer, the nutritional reality of your meal changes—and fast. In fact, one 4-ounce serving of fried chicken with the skin on it has as much cholesterol as 11 strips of sizzling bacon! Do your heart a favor and opt for a more heart-healthy piece of poultry.

MARGRINE

Butter alternatives like margarine are often made with partially-hydrogenated oils, one of the most common sources of trans-fats. You may have heard that this type of fat is linked to heart disease, but what most people don't know is that it may also accelerate the skin's aging process by making the skin more vulnerable to ultraviolet radiation. Eek! Hello, wrinkles! Skip this high-cholesterol food and stick with heart-healthy olive oil or small amounts of grass-fed butter instead.

POTATO CHIPS

According to Harvard researchers, chips are one of the worst foods for your belly. Not only are they saturated with saturated fat, which causes your gut to expand and puts your heart in the danger zone, they're also crusted with salt—yet another nutrient linked to cardiovascular disease when eaten in excess. In the Harvard study, daily chip consumption alone was responsible for adding nearly two pounds of flab to study participants' frame every four years. That means if you cut out chips, you would lose more than half a pound of belly fat, even if you changed nothing else about your diet.

PIZZA

pizza is the second biggest contributor of saturated fat. Most slices serve up half a day's worth of the artery clogger. To keep your health and waistline in check, stick to one slice and pair it with a house salad. This is far better than going back for rounds two and three of the doughy stuff.