Researchers have discovered that drinking just one high-fat milkshake, with fat and calorie content that is similar to what restaurants serve, is already enough to possibly trigger heart disease.
The study shows that people should be very careful in everything that they eat or drink, as even one meal apparently may have a significant effect on a person's health.
1 High-Fat Milkshake Already Triggers Heart Disease
The new study, by a team of scientists from the Medical College of Georgia and published in the Laboratory Investigation journal, should serve as a warning to all milkshake lovers.
The researchers discovered that drinking just one high-fat milkshake may quickly transform a healthy person's red blood cells into small, spiky cells that will wreak havoc in blood vessels, setting the stage for cardiovascular disease.
In addition, after four hours from drinking the high-fat milkshake, which is made up of whole milk, ice cream, and heavy whipping cream, blood vessels were less able to relax, and the immune system responded as if the body suffered an infection.
The sudden shift to an unhealthy state was likely temporary in the healthy young men who were the subjects of the study. However, according to the scientists, there was a definite cumulative effect on people who continuously consume such food and drinks. The study may also help explain the isolated cases when a person suffered a heart attack just after finishing a very high-fat meal.
"We see this hopefully as a public service to get people to think twice about eating this way," said cardiologist Dr. Neal Weintraub, the associate director of Medical College of Georgia's Vascular Biology Center and one of the authors of the study.
"The take-home message is that your body can usually handle this if you don't do it again at the next meal and the next and the next," added Dr. Julia Brittain, a coauthor and vascular biologist who is also from the MCG Vascular Biology Center.
How To Prevent Heart Disease
According to a recommendation from the American Heart Association, adults should limit their fat intake to between 20 percent and 35 percent of their daily calories. Any higher than that, and they will start to suffer from negative effects on their health.
Instead of high-fat food, there are many options that will not lead to heart diseases. One recently highlighted ingredient that may prevent heart attacks is turmeric, a spice often used in Indian dishes.
People should also be aware of other factors that may lead to heart abnormalities, such as prescription pain relievers, as well as possible signs of heart infection, such as a lump on the hand.
