The foods and drinks a heart doctor refuses to touch — and the healthy swaps you should eat instead

After two decades treating heart patients, I began to notice a pattern. Many of my patients thought they were doing everything right — like exercising regularly and managing stress — yet they still ended up with cardiovascular issues.

The common thread? Everyday food choices.

As a cardiologist, there are foods you couldn’t pay me to eat — not because I’m extreme, but because I’ve seen firsthand what they do to the human heart.

Sugary cereal

They look harmless, but can be essentially desserts in disguise. You might as well eat a doughnut for breakfast.

That sugar spike doesn’t just leave you groggy by mid-morning. It triggers a surge in insulin, putting your metabolism into overdrive and, over time, wearing down your vascular system. I’ve seen insulin resistance, chronic fatigue and cardiovascular complications — all linked to this morning ritual.

Instead, try steel-cut oats with berries and cinnamon.

Deli meats

They’re convenient, but this sandwich staple comes with a dark side. Deli meats are often preserved with nitrates and nitrites, which can convert into carcinogenic compounds inside the body.

These substances don’t just raise your cancer risk — they also elevate blood pressure and promote long-term arterial damage. If your “meat” has a shelf life longer than your dog, your arteries are paying the price.

Try roasting your own fresh turkey or chicken breast.

Soft drinks & energy drinks

They deliver a double blow to your system: spiking blood sugar, overworking your adrenal glands and flooding your body with inflammatory compounds.

And the “diet” versions? Often worse. Artificial sweeteners can disrupt your gut microbiome, which plays a huge role in both metabolism and heart health.

Try sparkling water with lemon or iced herbal tea.

Anything deep-fried

Yes, deep friend foods are delicious. But they are cooked in industrial seed oils that oxidise at high temperatures, forming potentially toxic by-products.

Those by-products embed in your artery walls, promote plaque build-up and raise your risk of hypertension, stroke and heart attacks. I tell patients to imagine each bite as sandpaper on your arteries.

Try oven-baked options using olive or avocado oil.

White bread

When you strip a grain of its fibre, minerals and nutrients, you’re left with a food that acts like sugar in the body.

White bread, crackers and even some multi-grain options break down quickly, spiking glucose, leading to crashes, fat storage and insulin resistance.

That means higher risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Look for whole grain or wholemeal options instead.

Fake meat

“Plant-based” doesn’t always mean heart-healthy.

Many meat substitutes are ultra-processed, filled with sodium, inflammatory oils and synthetic additives like methylcellulose and soy protein isolate.

Just because something doesn’t contain meat doesn’t mean it’s good for you. If it takes a chemistry degree to decode the label, it probably doesn’t belong in your body.

Lentils, beans or minimally processed tofu are better.

Canned soup

The World Health Organisation recommends no more than 1500mg of sodium per day, but a single can of soup can contain up to 1600mg.

Excess sodium raises blood pressure, strains the kidneys and increases the risk of heart failure. If you wouldn’t drink a glass of seawater, think twice before sipping that overly salty soup.

Make your own soup with fresh vegetables instead.

You don’t need to overhaul your entire diet overnight. Small swaps add up, and your blood tests will prove it. Talk to your GP before making any drastic changes.

Sanjay Bhojraj, MD, is a board-certified interventional cardiologist and certified functional medicine doctor.