What you eat every day can have a bigger impact on your hormones and heart health than you might realize. While some popular snacks and breakfast staples may seem harmless, certain ingredients, including excess sodium, refined carbohydrates, added sugars, and unhealthy fats, can contribute to blood pressure problems and metabolic stress when consumed regularly.
Even more concerning, some foods may indirectly influence cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, particularly when they contribute to blood sugar fluctuations. According to health and nutrition experts, several everyday grocery staples may be worth limiting if you’re trying to support healthier cortisol levels and maintain healthy blood pressure.
From seemingly innocent breakfast foods to convenient snacks and sandwich ingredients, here are seven foods experts say you should be mindful of.
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1. Buttered Popcorn
Popcorn has been known as a balanced, low-calorie, and surprisingly high-fiber snack that many health experts have suggested for weight loss. However, what you put on popcorn, like butter, can make a big difference in just how nutritious it is.
"Whether you're snacking at the movies or you're pulling it fresh from the microwave, buttered popcorn has more cons than pros," explains registered dietitian Destini Moody, RD, CSSD, LD at Live it Up. "Typically, air-popped popcorn is a great, low-calorie snack that's full of fiber. However, once you add the buttery compounds, you end up with a snack that is full of saturated fat and sodium, both of which can raise cortisol in excess amounts."
2. Bagels
Bagels are undeniably one of the most delicious breakfast foods around. Unfortunately, they're also one of the least healthy breakfast foods around. Not only are they packed with refined carbs, but registered dietitian Jesse Feder points out that they're also surprisingly high in sodium, making them a poor choice for your heart health.
"Bagels may seem like a safe bet when it comes to your blood pressure but they are usually quite high in sodium," he says. "One bagel can set you back 400-800mg of sodium depending on the type and size. This can contribute to increases in blood pressure which can damage your blood vessels over time and lead to heart disease."
3. Processed Cheese
Processed cheese may be a convenient addition to sandwiches, burgers, and quick snacks, but it can contain significant amounts of sodium and saturated fat. Eating too much sodium can contribute to elevated blood pressure, while diets high in saturated fat may negatively affect cardiovascular health. For anyone trying to maintain healthy blood pressure, regularly relying on processed cheese products may not be the best choice. Checking nutrition labels and opting for lower-sodium alternatives can help you make a more heart-conscious decision.
4. 'Diet' Or 'High Protein' Cereals
Cereal is a beloved breakfast food that is also super convenient, especially for working women or moms who need to get out the door and not worry about making a more complex breakfast. Now, there are a lot of 'diet' cereals on the market, being sold as 'high protein' and a better option, but not all of them are.
"Reaching for a quick bowl of well-marketed cereal between meals seems wise, at least that's what the afternoon commercials would like you to think," says Moody. "However, most cereals that are marketed as low-calorie are also low in fiber. This means a higher glycemic index, which means a spike in your blood sugar, which, in turn, leads to a spike in cortisol."
5. Granola Bars
Granola bars are one of the most notorious examples of a food that might seem super nutritious, but can end up packing some harmful ingredients. For instance, there are numerous boxes of granola bars sold in stores that are packed with refined sugar. Therefore, many feel it's better to make them at home or buy ones with natural, simple, and few ingredients.
"The sum of a granola bar's parts sounds nice: nuts, oats, seeds, honey," says Moody. "All of the buzzwords of superfoods. However, these bars also tend to contain a lot of added and refined sugar, which can raise cortisol if you include granola bars as part of your daily routine."
6. Sugary Coffee Drinks
Your daily flavored latte or iced coffee may seem like an innocent pick-me-up, but some specialty coffee drinks contain surprisingly high amounts of added sugar. Frequent consumption of sugary beverages can contribute to blood sugar spikes and crashes, potentially increasing physiological stress. Over time, excess added sugar can also contribute to weight gain and metabolic problems, which may negatively affect cardiovascular health. Choosing unsweetened coffee, limiting flavored syrups, and being mindful of added sugars can help make your daily caffeine habit a healthier one.
7. Deli meat
From ham to roast beef to bologna, deli meat is a popular sandwich ingredient that many of us have in our fridges right now. However, as common as this food is, it can take a serious toll on your health if you eat it on a regular basis. In fact, according to Dr. Bargout, it's one of the worst options out there when it comes to blood pressure and heart health.
Nutritionist Susan Schachter, co-founder of 120/Life, says, "Processed meats, such as bacon, sausage, and deli meats, are high in sodium, unhealthy fats, and preservatives. They can contribute to weight gain, high cholesterol levels, and hypertension."
