Dr Ashish Kumar, Sr. Consultant, Cardiology, Amrita Hospital, Faridabad, says the concern isn’t the occasional biscuit but when packaged snacks and sugary drinks quietly replace fruits, vegetables and whole grains. A review of 41 studies involving over 8.2 million adults found each additional 100 grams of ultra-processed food daily was linked to a 5.9% rise in cardiovascular events and a 14.5% rise in hypertension risk, though he cautions this reflects an association, not a fixed damage threshold. The Framingham Offspring Study similarly found each extra daily serving raised major cardiovascular risk by 7%. Dr Kumar stresses looking at overall weekly eating patterns rather than panicking over single snacks, recommending simple swaps like fruit, unsalted nuts or water, since consistent small changes matter more for heart health than occasional indulgences.
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