HIGH-FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP
High fructose corn syrup is seriously a heart attack made into syrup. Studies have shown that consuming high fructose corn syrup can raise the risk for heart disease and diabetes. High-fructose corn syrup can also cause you to overeat. Not to mention it can force your liver to pump more triglycerides (bad fat) into your blood.
High fructose corn syrup can be disguised on labels under words such as “corn sweetener,” “corn syrup,” or “corn syrup solids”. Make sure you avoid any products with these ingredients on the label.
TRANS FATS
Trans fats were supposed to be a cheap alternative to butter, lard and certain oils. Research has shown however, that trans fats are two times as dangerous as saturated fat. Trans fats can pretty much be the worse type of fat for your heart because they increase your levels of “bad” cholesterol and decrease your “good” cholesterol levels. Trans fats also raise your levels of lipoprotein and triglycerides, which are harmful to your arteries.
If you find any food packages that have ingredients labeled as “partially hydrogenated” or “hydrogenated” oils, then you know these are other words for trans fats. The higher up “partially hydrogenated oil” is on the list of ingredients, the more trans fat the product contains. You could reduce your risk of heart attack by over 50% just by removing trans fat from your diet and replacing it with good fat.
REFINED GRAINS
Refined grains is found in products like white bread, cereal, white rice, or white pasta. Refined grains can hide behind ingredients that say “made with wheat flour” or “seven grain.” This bad boy can increase your risk for heart attack by up to 30 percent. Besides an increased risk for heart attack, it can also raise the risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, diabetes, and belly fat. Make sure that when you are looking for breads and pasta at the grocery store, you look for 100% whole grain products. It’s also better to consume products that are known for their whole grains like cooked oatmeal, brown rice, bran, bulgur or kasha. Studies show that people who eat more whole grains have 20 to 30 percent less heart disease.
Don’t forget the importance of reading labels. Cheap packaged food will most likely have one these ingredients. Since diet can account for more than 70% of your results, avoiding these ingredients will not only improve heart and blood health, but it can also improve your lean body mass and get that stomach looking ripped! So make sure you read labels and stay away from these chemical killers. Get Lifted!
