Cardiovascular health is one of the most important aspects to take care of when it comes to our overall health. Currently, diseases associated with the cardiovascular system are the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 17.9 million deaths each year, representing 32% of all annual deaths according to the World Health Organization. Conditions such as heart attacks, coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, thrombosis, among others, fall within this group. For all these reasons, it is essential to start taking the greatest possible care of all aspects related to cardiovascular health.
The main causes of these conditions are related to everyday habits, such as <a style=”background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;” href=”https://saludpersonalizada.com/homocisteina-salud-cardiovascular-y-vitaminas-del-grupo-b-en-que-estan-relacionadas/”>our diet</a>, <a style=”background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;” href=”https://saludpersonalizada.com/como-mantenerte-activo-a-ayuda-a-tu-corazon-y-tus-vasos-sanguineos/”>our daily physical activity</a>, tobacco consumption (even social smoking), and alcohol intake. Proper control of these factors can be decisive in reducing the risk of developing this type of disease.</p>
When it comes to diet, it is important to highlight that there are certain nutrients that can worsen cardiovascular health. Saturated fats are among the nutrients most strongly associated with the incidence of these conditions. These fats are mainly found in foods such as processed meats, aged cheeses, red meat, chocolate, among others. Does this mean we should avoid these foods 100%? The answer is NO. Some of them, such as aged cheese, can be important sources of other nutrients like calcium, or dark chocolate, which can help better control blood pressure thanks to its flavonoid content—provided both are consumed in moderation so that saturated fat intake does not become excessive.
However, there is one important factor to keep in mind regarding these fats: do we all tolerate saturated fats equally? The answer is clearly no. There are certain genetic mutations that may indicate the need to strictly limit their consumption, as individuals with these mutations may develop metabolic alterations related to cardiovascular disease with lower intakes of saturated fat compared to others. But we should not focus only on genetics—if we also present a significantly altered blood lipid profile, restricting saturated fat intake would also be advisable, as these fats are directly linked to blood lipid levels.
As demonstrated by Hooper, L. et al. in 2020 in a sample of approximately 59,000 participants, reducing total daily intake of this type of fat significantly lowers the incidence of these diseases. The study highlights that replacing saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats and high-quality carbohydrates could be useful strategies to achieve these benefits. In addition, an interesting complementary strategy to accompany this reduction in saturated fats would be to increase fruit and vegetable intake, as consuming just 200 g/day (of both combined) is already associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of cardiovascular disease and even cancer, as indicated by Aune, D. et al.
Fruits and vegetables have always played a very important role in these conditions and are therefore widely recognized for their contribution to cardiovascular health. However, have you ever wondered why? Many people think it is due to their high fiber content—and they are not wrong—but these foods also contain a wide range of compounds known as bioactive compounds, which are also very important in regulating cardiovascular risk. Some of these compounds include flavonoids, hesperidin, vitamin C, antioxidants, carotenoids, among many others. Every day, more is being discovered about these compounds, including which ones may be more relevant than others and at what concentrations, allowing us to better personalize individual needs in the future.
Finally, it is important to remember that this article has focused mainly on the nutritional aspect of these conditions. However, cardiovascular diseases involve many additional risk factors beyond nutrition. As mentioned, environment, physical activity, and exposure to toxins such as alcohol and tobacco can also significantly affect cardiovascular risk. Therefore, we should aim to understand to what extent all these factors may affect us—ideally with the support of a healthcare professional—and identify what we are doing right and wrong in order to take better care of our health.
