How to Limit Ultra-Processed Foods and Reduce Heart Disease Risk
By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimating that it causes 1 in every 4 deaths.
While some risks factors for heart disease are out of your control, like your genetics or age, there are many others that can be influenced by lifestyle choices. Making healthier food choices is one way to reduce the risk of heart disease. Specifically, new research suggests that limiting heavily processed foods can help protect your heart.
In honor of American Heart Month, here is more information on ultra-professed foods and helpful tips for cutting back on them to boost your heart health.
Ultra-Processed Foods and Heart Disease
“Processed foods” is often used a blanket term to label foods that are considered unhealthy. However, food processing isn’t always bad. Even foods that are considered nutritious, like low-fat dairy products, canned fish, and olive oil, must undergo processing to make them safe to consume and store. Still, these foods likely contain one to three ingredients.
Ultra-processed foods, on the other hand, are more heavily processed and often have artificial colors, salt, sugar, and preservatives added to them. Examples of ultra-processed foods include cakes, candy, deli and breakfast meats, hot dogs, chips, frozen meals, and sodas. Consuming high amounts of these foods is associated with poor health and increased risks of certain diseases.
A study published in December 2020 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition analyzed the impact of ultra-processed food intake on heart disease risk among 22,475 men and women over 8 years. The results showed that those who consumed diets with over 14.6% of calories from ultra-processed foods had a 58% higher risk of early death from heart disease, compared to those who ate less than 6.6% of their calories from ultra-processed foods.
According to the authors, the high sugar content often found in ultra-processed foods may be part of the reason for the associations found in the study. (Remember, added sugar is different than naturally occurring sugar, as we discussed here.) Ultra-processed foods also tend to be high in sodium. Excess sodium intake may contribute to high blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease.
How to Limit Ultra-Processed Foods
Cutting back on ultra-processed foods is one way to protect against heart disease and its complications, including early death.
Here are a few food swaps to help you make healthier choices:
Swap flavored seltzer water for soda. Soda is an ultra-processed beverage and one of the biggest sources of added sugar in the standard American diet. If you have a habit of regularly drinking soda, consider swapping your bottle of pop for a can of naturally flavored carbonated water. Brands like La Croix and Bubly offer several delicious flavors that have zero calories and contain no added sugar, including Key Lime, Strawberry, and Tangerine. If you don’t like those options, give Spindrift a try. Spindrift produces sparkling waters sweetened with freshly squeezed fruit juice, which yields a stronger flavor than some of the natural flavors found in other brands. For more tips, check out our post on how to kick a soda habit for good.
Try kale chips instead of potato chips. Kale…as chips? Hear us out on this one! With the right seasonings, kale can be transformed into a crunchy, flavorful snack that can take the place of potato chips. To make kale chips, preheat the oven to 300°F and line a couple baking sheets with parchment paper. Wash a bunch of kale, remove the stems, and roughly tear the leaves. Pat the kale dry, spread the pieces on the baking sheets, and toss them in about a tablespoon of olive oil. Season with 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway, until crispy, and enjoy your tasty, low-sodium snack. In addition to being free from preservatives and unhealthy oils, kale chips provide fiber and vitamins A, C, and K.
Make homemade energy bites instead of eating packaged cookies or candy. Satisfy your craving for sweets with something homemade instead of a sleeve of Oreo cookies or a Twix bar. Energy bites, for example, are easy to make from simple, minimally processed ingredients. Plus, they contain foods that provide fiber and protein, both of which will fill you up and prevent the blood sugar spike and crash that comes with ultra-processed sweets. In a large bowl, stir together 1 cup old-fashioned oats, ½ cup creamy peanut butter, ½ cup flaxseed meal, ¼ cup maple syrup or honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips. Roll the mixture into balls, and store in a sealed container in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before enjoying.
Use veggies instead of breakfast meats. Bacon and sausage are common sources of ultra-processed foods in the American diet. If you often add these meats to your breakfast omelet, either at home or at restaurants, consider swapping them with something less processed…like veggies! Peppers, onions, mushrooms, and broccoli are all great choices that provide flavor and texture without excess sodium or preservatives.
Swap roasted chicken or turkey breast for deli meats and hot dogs. The beloved sandwich is another common vehicle for ultra-processed meats. But did you know that making a healthier version of lunch meats at home is easy and affordable? Try roasting boneless, skinless chicken or turkey breasts, or make them in bulk with the help of the slow cooker or Instant Pot. Preparing deli meat at home also gives you control over how much salt you add. You can even use herbs and spices in lieu of salt. Plus, the leftovers freeze well, making it easy to keep a steady supply on hand.
Batch cook homemade soups and healthier casseroles in place of frozen meals and canned soups. Frozen and canned meals offer a whole lot of convenience, especially for those with busy schedules. Fortunately, you can still tap into this convenience without increasing your consumption of ultra-processed foods. Enter: batch cooking. If you can devote one or two days a month to cooking large batches of healthier soups, stews, or casseroles, you’ll have a fully stocked freezer with meals that you can defrost, reheat, and enjoy. Recipe blogs or cookbooks written by registered dietitians are good resources to look for recipes.
Other Heart-Healthy Habits
Limiting ultra-processed foods may be one way to protect the heart, but there are many other lifestyle choices that can influence heart disease risk.
Here are some other heart-healthy habits for you to consider:
Increase intake of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains. These foods are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds that support heart health.
Eat at least 2 servings (7 ounces or 1.5 cups) of fatty fish per week. Fatty fish, such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel, are sources of omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids. Omega-3s have an anti-inflammatory effect in the body and may reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Reduce sodium intake while increasing consumption of potassium-rich foods. Most Americans consume more than the recommended amount of sodium while not getting enough potassium from their diets, which together may increase the risk of heart disease. To cut back on sodium, limit your consumption of canned soups, lunch meat, and restaurant foods. At the same time, opt for more potassium-rich foods like avocados, potatoes, peas, tomatoes, and leafy green vegetables. If you struggle with adding sodium during cooking, try subbing pepper, herbs, spices, vinegars, or lemon juice instead.
Move more and sit less. Sedentary activities, including sitting, lounging, and watching TV, may increase the risk of heart disease. On the other hand, regular exercise and movement benefit the heart. Aim to sit less and incorporate more chances to move throughout the day. Even taking a brisk walk around the block for 10 minutes, or devoting 15 minutes before bed to yoga, can make a difference! Exercise is also helpful for reducing stress, which in turn can protect against heart disease.
Go easy on the cocktails. Consuming too much alcohol may be associated with an increased risk of heart disease. If you drink alcohol, limit yourself to two drinks per day (men) or one drink per day (women). As a reminder, one drink is 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, and 1.5 ounces of spirits.
For more information about healthy eating guidelines for heart health, check out our post from last year’s American Heart Month on recommendations from the American Heart Association.
Note from Healthy For Life Meals: Cutting back on ultra-processed foods can be very time consuming! Convenience is why many of us reach for those foods to begin with, after all. That’s where Healthy For Life Meals comes in. Our menus are crafted from fresh, whole foods and include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Get started with one of our highly reviewed, delicious meal plans today. We’ll do the work for you, and you’ll be cutting back on those ultra-processed foods.