Processed red meat products such as ham, bacon, corned beef, and some sausages like salami, chorizo and hot dogs, belong to the group of foods often blamed for heart disease alongside saturated fat and excess salt. But are these foods the only ones that affect people’s heart health? The answer is no, according to heart surgeon Dr Philip Ovadia.
According to official mortality data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) via the National Center for Health Statistics, diseases of the heart remained the leading cause of death in the United States in 2024. This accounted for approximately 22.2% of all total deaths nationwide in 2024, maintaining its long-standing position above cancer (which claimed 619,876 lives).
Whereas genetics establish the baseline risk and physical activity helps maintain cardiovascular function, recent clinical evidence suggests that dietary patterns play a central role in addressing the growing burden of cardiovascular disease. Contemporary guidelines on cardiovascular health have shifted away from focusing on individual nutrients toward promoting overall dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean and DASH diets, which emphasize whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats in relation to key risk factors such as hypertension and dyslipidemia.
The importance of diet-based interventions is further underscored by CDC statistics indicating that approximately two-thirds of American adults have at least one modifiable cardiovascular risk factor.
Dr Philip Ovadia now shifts the focus to refined carbohydrates and says they can quietly damage the heart over time.
“This food drives insulin resistance, triggers chronic inflammation, and is slowly destroying your heart,” Dr Ovadia said.
The doctor noted that eating refined carbohydrates can lead to arterial plaque buildup, which elevates the risk of a heart attack.
“It leads to exactly the inflammatory environment that turns into that soft, unstable plaque I see causing heart attacks every week in the operating room,” he explained.
Dr Ovadia warned that some foods advertised as healthy may still contain a lot of refined carbohydrates. “Even foods marketed as healthy, like low-fat granola, whole wheat bread, and rice cakes are loaded with these refined carbs,” he said.
He also advised people to limit foods such as bagels, flavored yogurts, fruit juice, instant oatmeal, breakfast cereals, crackers, and potato chips. Instead, he recommended a diet rich in vegetables, healthy fats, and protein.
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