Healthy hearts and arteries are the result of many factors. These include your genes and healthy lifestyle habits, such as being regularly active and eating a healthy diet. An important part of eating right is getting the right amount and types of fats daily. To find your daily limit for total fat and saturated fat, check Your Fat Target.
Next, check below for the amounts of total fat in your favorite fast foods. As you scroll down the “Fat-O-Meter,” watch how fat grams add up as the pictured arteries clog up. Notice how some foods contain more fat per serving than most people should eat in a whole day!
You can see the “Fat-O-Meter” artery get more clogged as the total fat grams of food increase. Keep in mind that arteries get clogged by more than just eating too many unhealthy fats. Other causes of arteries clogging include your genes, smoking, and having medical problems like high blood pressure and diabetes. Over time, clogged arteries can lead to heart disease and stroke. Luckily, you have the power to prevent clogged arteries. You can eat a healthy diet, exercise, keep a healthy weight, and avoid smoking. While no food can cause heart disease or poor health, a diet that is high in calories, including unhealthy fats, along with a sedentary lifestyle, can. To learn more about how to plan a heart healthy diet that’s right for you, visit the What Can I Do? page.