A great danger to Egyptians' tables: types of meat that cardiologists warn against

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Processed meats, such as pastrami, luncheon meat, and sausage, are widely popular on Egyptians' daily tables, but mounting medical warnings are now highlighting the serious health risks resulting from excessive consumption of them.

These warnings come in light of the dependence of many families and young people on fast food and foods rich in sodium and saturated fats, which poses a direct threat to the health of the arteries and paves the way for early heart disease.

Doctors stressed the need to reconsider the daily lifestyle and limit these foods to prevent high blood pressure and atherosclerosis without the need for complete deprivation.

Dr. Gamal Shaaban, a cardiovascular disease consultant and former dean of the Heart Institute, said in a special statement to Al Arabiya.net and Al Hadath.net that the Egyptian table, with its foods such as sausage, pastrami, pickles, chips, and burgers, may represent a risk to heart health when consumed in excess, due to the high levels of sodium, saturated and trans fats, and added sugars it contains.

He explained that processed meats, such as sausage and pastrami, along with pickles and salty cheeses, are not only dangerous to the visible salt in the food, but also include what is known as hidden salt that is added during manufacturing and preservation processes, noting that excessive sodium intake leads to high blood pressure and increases the burden on the heart and blood vessels.

He added that fast food, such as burgers, French fries, and chips, combines several factors that may harm heart health, including unhealthy fats, pointing out that excessive amounts of saturated and trans fats may lead to an increase in harmful cholesterol, and contribute to accelerating atherosclerosis.

Shaaban pointed out that the problem does not stop at the quality of food, but extends to some daily habits, such as eating heavy meals late at night, adding excessive sugar to tea and coffee, lack of movement and sitting for long periods, stressing the importance of paying attention to these factors within the system of preventing heart disease.

He stressed that maintaining heart health does not mean complete deprivation of favorite foods, but rather requires reducing consumption of processed meats, pickles, and foods rich in salt and fat, and limiting added sugar, while making sure to eat balanced meals and practice walking regularly.

Shaaban advised gradually reducing salt and using lemon and natural spices to improve the taste of food, and reading the nutritional components of products before buying them, in addition to avoiding eating heavy meals right before sleep, explaining that high blood pressure may occur without obvious symptoms, which makes paying attention to healthy nutrition and monitoring blood pressure necessary to maintain the health of the heart.

For his part, Dr. Ahmed Shabana, a consultant in cardiovascular diseases, told Al Arabiya.net and Al Hadath.net that eating processed meat frequently calls for caution, especially for people who suffer from high blood pressure or risk factors associated with heart disease.

He explained that excessive sodium can lead to fluid retention and high blood pressure, which increases the stress on the heart and blood vessels, noting that the main problem lies in the frequency and quantity of eating these foods, and not in eating them casually.

He added that maintaining heart health begins with a balanced diet based on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and protein sources that contain less fat, while reducing processed, salty, and fried foods as much as possible.

He stressed that choosing a light meal at night is better than eating fatty meals or those rich in salt and fat, especially right before bedtime, calling for not turning eating processed meat and fast food into a daily habit.