She said that what you eat every day can help or hurt your heart by influencing your risk of heart attack<\/a> or stroke as you get older.<\/p>\n “You have more control than you think over heart health,” she told Business Insider. “These small daily choices we make, if you’re in it for the long game, can drastically change those kinds of sentinel events that can kill you.”<\/p>\n Lara-Breitinger said she often sees patients with high cholesterol or other heart health issues who eat too many foods with added sugar or saturated fat.<\/p>\n Some of the biggest culprits are marketed as healthy, and they might be foods you eat every day.<\/p>\n While you don’t need to cut them out completely, understanding what’s really in your diet can help you make more informed choices and build better long-term health habits.<\/p>\n “For me, for my family, it’s not demonizing food,” Lara-Breitinger said. “If most of the time they’re eating healthy and eating real food, I tend not to make it as much of a big deal.”<\/p>\n Protein drinks are packed with additives<\/p>\n The proteinmaxxing trend<\/a> has taken over the grocery store, with extra protein in everything from popcorn to candy, promising to boost your gains.<\/p>\n But a high protein content can mask potentially problematic ingredients, Lara-Breitinger said.<\/p>\n For instance, ready-to-drink protein shakes, smoothies, or yogurts may be convenient, but they’re heavily processed. Some contain a surprising amount of sugar \u2014 more than 20 grams per serving, as much as a can of soda or candy bar. Even low-sugar products can be risky, since they’re flavored with artificial sweeteners<\/a> that can mess with your gut microbiome or promote cravings.<\/p>\n Instead, Lara-Breitinger said to focus on getting enough protein<\/a> from whole foods, particularly plant proteins like legumes, which offer a wide range of benefits.<\/p>\n “They give you fiber and all of the polyphenols and antioxidants and everything,” she said.<\/p>\n Snacking on edamame with a bit of sea salt can be a healthier, high-protein alternative to processed snacks.\u00a0<\/p>\n miniseries\/Getty Images<\/p>\n She recommends snacking on edamame with sea salt for a simple, savory way to add 20 to 30 grams of protein.<\/p>\n Granola can hide loads of sugar<\/p>\n Piggybacking on the protein trend, granola with added protein has become a popular breakfast and snack option for the health-conscious.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n