High Blood Pressure + High Cholesterol: 3 Things to Avoid in the Morning
There isn’t a special set of foods that everyone with high blood pressure or cholesterol must avoid specifically in the morning. What matters most is your overall eating pattern. But these three common breakfast choices are worth limiting:
Processed meats — bacon, sausage, ham and other processed meats can be high in sodium and saturated fat. Sodium can raise blood pressure, while saturated fat can raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.
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Sugary breakfast foods and drinks — sweetened tea/coffee, soda, pastries, sugary cereals and similar foods can add substantial amounts of added sugar and calories. Current American Heart Association guidance recommends minimizing added sugars and highly processed foods.
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Breakfasts loaded with butter, cream or other saturated fats — frequent high-saturated-fat choices can raise LDL cholesterol. Consider replacing them with foods containing unsaturated fats, such as nuts, seeds or small amounts of olive/canola oil.
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A better breakfast
Try oatmeal topped with berries and unsalted nuts, or vegetables + whole-grain toast + eggs, while keeping added salt and saturated fat modest. A heart-healthy pattern emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, fish and lean proteins.
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If you have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, diet is important, but don’t stop prescribed blood-pressure or cholesterol medication because your numbers improve. Lifestyle changes and medication often work together.
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