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Top 10 Myths about Cardiovascular Disease
Drinks
I drink quite a few cups of coffee a day. Is coffee bad for the heart?
High caffeine levels can cause palpitations. Boiled coffee (percolators) can raise cholesterol but instant, filter or expresso does not. There is no real evidence of any harmful effect of coffee on the coronary arteries. So you can drink and enjoy coffee without worrying about it causing a heart attack. Try to avoid percolated coffee because of the cholesterol effect and cut down on all coffee if you have palpitations.
Guide to food-type content in 100 g-portions
Food type – A lot (g) – A little (g)
Sugar-– 10 – 2
Fat – 20 – 3
Saturated fats – 5 – 1
Fibre – 3 – 0.5
Sodium – 0.5 – 0.1
I like to have a drink now and again. How does alcohol affect my heart?
Alcohol in moderation helps the heart, but in excess it can cause strokes, high blood pressure and cirrhosis of the liver. Alcohol therefore can be consumed without undue worry but it needs to be controlled. Alcohol is, unfortunately, high in calories, so it is not
helpful if you are trying to lose weight. Binge drinking is very bad for blood pressure – the following day your blood pressure may be very high and this is when strokes occur.
We measure alcohol in terms of units and it is recommended that men have no more than 28 and women 21 units in a week. Ideally men should not drink more than 4 units a day and women 3 units a day. The British Heart Foundation recommends a weekly limit of 21
units for men and 14 for women. When pouring drinks at home no one ever pours a single shot of spirits unless they use an actual measure – it is always a double or even a treble!
To calculate a unit, multiply the strength of the drink by its volume and divide by 1000. So 250 cc of wine, as often served in wine bars, of 10% strength, is 2.5 units (250 × 10 ÷ 1000).
One unit of alcohol is equal to:
• One 100cc glass of wine (red or white): a typical 125 ml measure represents 1.6 units per glass (a bottle of wine at 12.5% volume contains six 125 ml glasses);
• A single measure of sherry;
• Half a pint of normal strength beer;
• Quarter of a pint of strong beer;
• A single measure of a spirit.
An example of a good food label for a breakfast cereal
Ingredients: Wheat, malt extract, sugar, salt, niacin, iron, thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), folic acid
Nutrition information
Typical values per 100 g (3.5oz)
Typical values per 37.5 g serving with 150 ml semi-skimmed milk
- -339kcal -191kcal
1439kJ – 811kJ
Protein – 11.5g – 9.1g
Carbohydrates – 67.3g – 31.7g
of which Sugars – 4.7g – 9.2g
Starch – 62.6g – 22.5g
Fat – 2.7g – 3.4g
of which Saturates – 0.7g – 1.8g
Mono-unsaturates – 0.3g – 0.9g
Polyunsaturates – 1.7g – 0.6g
Fibre – 10.9g – 3.9g
Sodium – 0.3g – 0.2g
Thiamin (B1) – 1.2mg (85% RDA) – 0.5mg (35% RDA)
Riboflavin (B2) – 1.4mg (85% RDA) – 0.8mg (47% RDA)
Niacin 15.3mg – (85% RDA) – 5.7mg 31% RDA)
Folic acid 170μg – (85% RDA) – 70.0 μg (35% RDA)
Iron – 11.9mg (85% RDA) – 4.4mg (31% RDA)
RDA means Recommended Daily Allowance
Per 37.5 g serving with 150 ml semi-skimmed milk = 191 calories and 3.4 g fat
Any form of alcohol benefits the heart (not just red wine) but it must be at a regular acceptable intake – you can’t save all your units up for Saturday night!
Always make sure alcohol does not interfere with any medication you might be taking. For example, it increases the effect of warfarin and it interacts with sleeping tablets (increasing their effects) and some painkillers (e.g. co-codamol) and some antibiotics (such as metronidazole). Alcohol can also increase the drowsiness some people experience with antihistamines (such as Piriton).
I have heard a lot about the benefits of wine. Is wine better than beer or spirits?
Unfortunately, this has become confusing with reports contradicting each other. All alcohol is beneficial in moderation. Wine has some advantages over beer. However, alcohol is not a medicine and should only be taken if enjoyed.
Snacks
Besides fruit can you suggest some healthy snacks?
Here are some ideas to try.
For nibbles
• Raw vegetables (cucumber, celery, mangetout, baby corn, broccoli or cherry tomatoes)
• Dried fruits (apricots, banana, raisins, sultanas)
• Yoghurt (low-fat types)
• Popcorn (no added salt or sugar)
For more substantial snacks
• Fresh vegetable soups (not cream)
• Beans on toast
• Baked potatoes (fill with cottage cheese, baked beans or salad)
• wholemeal or soft grain white bread sandwiches with healthy fillings, e.g. tuna and sweetcorn, turkey and salad, a little Brie cheese and fruit
Drink water, slimline tonic or tea with lemon or lime.
All these suggestions are not only good for a healthy diet, but also a good way towards losing weight.
