Many popular foods can clog your blood vessels

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Deposits of fat, cholesterol and calcium in the vessels clog arteries, increasing the risk of circulatory disorders, stroke, heart attack or kidney damage. There are many causes, most notably poor nutrition. You should avoid these foods in particular.

In atherosclerosis, deposits of fat and calcium build up on the walls of blood vessels.

Circulatory disorders and cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks can be the result. In addition to high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, too much nicotine and alcohol, the main causes are an unhealthy diet. Find out which foods clog your blood vessels and increase your risk of atherosclerosis.

What is hardening of the arteries?

Atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, develops slowly over the years and mainly affects older people. Deposits of fat, cholesterol and calcium clog the vessels. Above all, an unhealthy lifestyle with the wrong diet promotes arteriosclerosis. Because certain foods clog arteries and lead to vascular changes with serious consequences.

Every day, several thousand liters of blood are pumped through arteries and blood vessels to supply organs and cells in the human body with sufficient nutrients. Deposits and consequent narrowed or even clogged blood vessels make this circulation more difficult and lead to serious health consequences. The main reason for this is the wrong diet. Processed meat tops the list of foods that clog blood vessels.

Red meat

Even if high-quality organic meat is harmless, meat should be consumed in moderation. It is best to reduce meat consumption and minimize it to white poultry meat.

Because red meat (beef, veal, pork, sheep, lamb, goat, horse, rabbit and game) promotes calcification of the vessels. Processed meats that are preserved by salting, smoking, aging or fermentation should also be avoided.

Processed meat, such as sausage, salami, bacon, ham or burger patties made from minced meat, has a large amount of salt, sugar, preservatives and additives and a lot of saturated fatty acids. These substances and acids cause the LDL cholesterol level in the body to rise rapidly and are deposited on the walls of the blood vessels in the form of cholesterol.

High-fat dairy products

Many studies have shown that high consumption of processed meat can have health consequences, such as cardiovascular disease or cancer. The German Society for the Prevention and Rehabilitation of Cardiovascular Diseases (DGPR) warns against increased consumption of sausage products, red meat and high-fat dairy products.

Dairy products are rich in protein and other nutrients such as calcium, iodine, folic acid and vitamins A, D, E, B1, B2, B6 and B12. Fermented milk products such as yoghurt, kefir or buttermilk in particular are very healthy because they regulate the intestinal flora with health-promoting probiotics. But particularly high-fat cheese, butter and whole milk also have a high proportion of saturated animal fatty acids.

Dairy products such as butter, cream quark, double cream cheese, condensed milk and cream should therefore be eaten only rarely or removed from the menu altogether.

Whole milk and cream cheese should only be consumed in moderation. Because the high cholesterol content, especially in high-fat cheese, butter and milk, increases the risk of hardening of the arteries and consequently heart disease.

Plant-based milk alternatives such as oat milk and low-fat cheeses such as goat’s or sheep’s milk cheese are safer for the vessels. These varieties have up to 50 percent less cholesterol than cheese made from cow’s milk. In addition, it is mainly the “good” cholesterol HDL.

frozen pizza

Trans fats can promote clogged blood vessels and coronary heart disease.

Ready meals such as frozen pizzas and lasagnes also contain white flour instead of wholemeal flour, refined oils instead of virgin olive oil and too much salt and sugar as flavor carriers and preservatives.

In combination with trans fats, these substances promote inflammation in the body and lead to other diseases.

Certain baked goods and sweets

Industrial baked goods and sweets should be reduced. Because these foods contain hardly any healthy fiber, but a lot of trans fats, refined white flour and industrial sugar.

This mixture promotes inflammation and clogged arteries in the body. Sugar in particular has an inflammatory effect and can damage vascular walls in the long term.

Products made primarily from refined white flour and sugar also increase the risk of obesity – a key factor in arteriosclerosis.

Because too much sugar boosts fat production in the liver and increases fat levels in the blood. The result is an elevated cholesterol level, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes as contributors to hardening of the arteries.

soft drinks and ice teas

Coke, soda and sweetened iced teas – the sugary drinks are more dangerous than candy or baked goods as they are much easier to consume and in large amounts every day.

Unlike sweet foods, soft drinks do not leave you feeling full. Too much sugar ends up in the body in a very short time, increasing the risk of obesity, diabetes and arteriosclerosis.

Fries, croquettes and schnitzel

Also on the list of foods that clog blood vessels are fried foods. This is because pro-inflammatory trans fats are formed, especially when oil is heated repeatedly and vigorously.

Therefore, chips, croquettes, schnitzel or lard should only be consumed very rarely in order to keep cholesterol levels in check and prevent arteriosclerosis.

Vegetable oils should always be preferred to animal fats. But some vegetable oils also contain too high a proportion of omega-6 fatty acids and saturated fatty acids. Omega-6 from vegetable fat also has a vasoconstrictive effect, increases the blood’s tendency to clot and can lead to blood clots in vessels.

Sunflower oil only in moderation

In addition to coconut oil, palm oil also has a high proportion of saturated fatty acids. Sunflower oil should also only be consumed in moderation, as it contains around 120 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. The better choice are vegetable oils with many unsaturated fatty acids such as rapeseed or olive oil, linseed oil is a good omega-3 supplier.

But which oil is best for frying and frying? So-called high-oleic oils consist of a mixture of special types of sunflower, rapeseed and safflower with a higher proportion of oleic acid and are therefore ideal for cooking at high temperatures. Despite cold pressing, the oils can withstand temperatures of up to 210 degrees and are healthier than refined frying oils with trans fats due to the high proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids (up to 70 percent).

These foods have a positive effect on your health

However, the focus should not be on avoiding certain foods, but on the variety of healthy foods that have a positive effect on cleaning arteries.

This includes many products from the Mediterranean cuisine: according to scientific studies, fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts, legumes, fresh spices such as garlic, vegetable oils, fish and whole grain products reduce the risk of arteriosclerosis.

Healthy fatty acids prevent heart and vascular diseases and are mainly found in fatty fish such as salmon. Whole grain products are rich in fiber and thus bind cholesterol without the fatty substance being deposited on the vessel walls.

Nuts and seeds such as flaxseed and walnuts also have a high proportion of omega-3 fatty acids and thus lower cholesterol levels.

Some types of fruit have a cleansing effect on the body. These include watermelon, grapes, berries (rich in flavonoids), avocado and pomegranates. Pomegranates in particular have a high antioxidant effect.

Apples are high in procyanidins (flavanols), which not only keep arteries elastic but can also prevent blood clots. This natural substance is also found in green tea.

Certain types of vegetables also have a positive effect on the blood vessels. These include spinach, broccoli and chard, which lower blood pressure and have anti-inflammatory and cleansing effects.

Plus point: The potassium and folic acid it contains also reduce the risk of heart attack. Asparagus prevents clots in veins. Heated tomatoes are rich in Lycopi, which prevents the oxidation of cholesterol and its deposits on the walls of blood vessels. Spinach also has this effect.