All of us love tasty food, who wouldn’t, right? Whether it’s crispy Ayam Goreng Berempah, sweet desserts, or a rich flavorful nasi lemak with rendang chicken or fried chicken. To some people, this is what they eat daily.
While salt, sugar and fat make our food super delicious, do you know too much of them is bad for our heart?
So how much is “too much”? Is there a way to enjoy our food while still protecting our heart? Let’s take a look.
Why Balance Matters
Our heart works hard 24/7, pumping blood, carrying oxygen, keeping every part of our body alive. But when we eat too much salt, sugar, or unhealthy fat, our heart will have to work harder. Over a period of, this can lead to high blood pressure, clogged arteries, and even heart attacks.
Our goal today is not to cut out everything completely, but to find a healthy balance within what we eat.
Salt: The Silent Blood Pressure Raiser
Salt is very important to our body, however, we only require them in a small amount. Salt helps control our body’s fluid in balance and helps our muscle functions well.
But when we eat too much of salt , it raises our blood pressure, and that will put stress on our heart and blood vessels.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), adults should limit salt to less than 5 grams a day. Put it simply, that means it’s about one teaspoon in total a day, and this includes all the salt content in sauces, snacks, instant food, soup etc.
Common hidden sources of salt:
- Processed or canned food
- Soy sauce, ketchup, and seasoning powders
- Instant noodles and chips
- Fast food and soups
Simple tips:
- Always taste your food before adding salt.
- Use herbs, spices, or lemon juice for flavor instead.
- Choose “low-sodium” or “less salt” versions of sauces when possible.
Too much of salt not only make us thirsty, it can also increase our risk of heart disease and stroke.
Sugar: Sweet but Sneaky
We all know that sugar gives us energy. But, eating too much of sugar will cause weight gain, diabetes, and heart problems.
This is because when our body takes in more sugar than our body needs, the extra sugar is stored as fat, especially around our belly. Bad news is, this kind of fat is linked to higher heart disease risk.
The American Heart Association recommends:
- Women: Not more than 25 grams (6 teaspoons) of added sugar per day.
- Men: Not more than 36 grams (9 teaspoons) per day.
But many drinks and desserts have far more than those amount! One can of soft drink already contains up to 10 teaspoons of sugar!
Common hidden sources of sugar:
- Sweetened drinks (tea, coffee, soda)
- Cakes, pastries, and candy
- Breakfast cereals and flavoured yogurt
- Packaged sauces or dressings
Simple tips:
- Cut down on sugary drinks. Drink plain water or unsweetened tea instead.
- Read labels, sugar is usually listed as “sucrose,” “fructose,” or “corn syrup.”
- Eat fruit instead of desserts when you crave something sweet.
A little sugar is fine as our body needs energy. But too much of sugar every day is very harmful to our heart.
Fat: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Do you know that not all fats are bad ?
Fundamentally, our body needs fat for energy, hormone production, and nutrient absorption. But, which type of fats are good? And which ones are bad?
Good fats (Heart-friendly):
- Unsaturated fats — found in olive oil, sunflower oil, avocados, nuts, and fish.
They help lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase good cholesterol (HDL).
Bad fats (Bad for our heart):
- Saturated fats — found in fatty meats, butter, cheese, ghee, and full-cream milk.
- Trans fats — found in margarine, baked goods, and fried fast foods.
According to the World Health Organization, our daily intake of saturated fats should not be more than 10% of our total daily calories intake, and for trans fats, it should be as low as possible, ideally 0% in order for our hearts to stay healthy.
Simple tips:
- Choose lean meat, grill or steam instead of frying.
- Cook with olive or sunflower oil instead of butter or ghee.
- Snack on nuts instead of chips or fried food.
How to Keep It All in Balance
In summary, this is how much and what we should consume in order not to put our hearts at risk.
- Salt: Less than 1 teaspoon per day.
- Sugar: Less than 6 teaspoons (for women) or 9 teaspoons (for men) per day.
- Fat: Choose good fats, limit bad fats.
And remember consistency is very important. Doing it occasionally will not change anything. Making small, daily changes adds up over time.
Try this simple heart-healthy meal approach:
- Half plate: vegetables and fruits
- One-quarter: whole grains (like brown rice or oats)
- One-quarter: lean protein (fish, chicken, tofu, beans)
- Cook with healthy oil, and flavor with herbs instead of salt
In order to have a healthy heart, we don’t need to give up on our favourite food completely, instead we need to eat wisely.
While enjoying our food, we need to always be aware of what we eat.
By limiting the intake of sugar, salt and choosing healthy oil, we are not just protecting our heart, but improving our energy, weight, and overall health too.