Dr Luke Pratsides, an NHS GP and chief medical officer at preventative health clinic Get A Drip, has identified saturated fat as the key dietary target for protecting the heart. Speaking to Express.co.uk, he said: “Saturated fat is the key thing to reduce in your diet for better heart health.”
He singles out processed meats and processed “cereals and cereal products” as the biggest contributors. According to the government’s National Diet and Nutrition Survey for 2019 to 2023, the cereals group – including sandwiches, pizza, sweet biscuits and cakes – provides 28% to 31% of saturated fat intake in adults, and 36% to 37% in children aged 4 to 18. Meat and meat products contribute a further 12% to 19% across all age groups.
How saturated fat harms the heart
“Saturated fat raises LDL, the 'bad' cholesterol that builds up in artery walls and narrows them over time, which is a major driver of heart attack and stroke risk,” he said. He added: “Processed meat carries an extra concern, since much of it is also high in salt, and a high salt intake raises blood pressure, another leading cause of heart and circulatory disease.”
Small changes, not total elimination
Dr Pratsides stresses that the aim is not to cut these foods out completely. “None of this means cutting these foods out completely. An occasional bacon sandwich or slice of cake isn't going to undo an otherwise balanced diet,” he said. He recommends eating processed meat less often, choosing leaner cuts or plant proteins like beans and lentils instead, and treating sandwiches, pizza and sweet bakery items as occasional treats rather than automatic choices. These, he says, are two of the most evidence-based diet changes people can make for their heart.
