Diet soda is also a slippery culprit. The diet qualities are the selling point of these beverages, appealing to weight watchers and diabetics, but it may be the contentious part of the formula. In a study presented by the American Stroke Association, researchers wrote, "This study suggests that diet soda is not an optimal substitute for sugar-sweetened beverages and may be associated with a greater risk of stroke, myocardial infarction or vascular death than regular soda."
These sweeteners, aspartame and sucralose, or Splenda, are thought to be dangerous to the public’s health but not enough to set off red-flag alarms. Aspartame is responsible for about 75 percent of all adverse reactions to food additives reported to the Federal Drug Agency.
As if sodium isn’t bad enough on its own, salt can be found in processed foods, packaged snacks, condiments, fried foods, baked store goods, canned soups and frozen entrees. Look for terms like “sodium phosphate, monosodium glutamate (MSG) and sodium nitrate,” all salt sources. Sneaky buggers.
Want a bonus fourth food that increases stroke risk? Let’s talk about red meat. Saturated fats in red meat grown under intensive mass farming methods cause a rise in stroke risk by clogging arteries with free-floating plaque buildup in the blood. But now, a new theory posits that hemoglobin, which gives red meat its high iron content, may pose a danger to humans. It is theorized that the heme iron consumed as a part of red meats may make the consumer’s blood thicker and more viscous, or stickier, increasing the chance of strokes.
So which came first, bad eating habits or the fast-food restaurant with its “iffy” offerings? Researchers have noted stroke risks seem to be linked to the number of fast-food restaurants in a certain area, like a neighborhood. A study of Texas neighborhoods with high numbers of fast-food restaurants found these neighborhoods had a 13 percent higher risk of ischemic strokes than neighborhoods with fewer fast-food joints. What is not known is whether fast food restaurants actually increase the risk of stroke because of its food offerings or if these restaurants are simply markers of unhealthy neighborhoods. Consider not just what you eat, but also your lifestyle, family history and other factors with your health care provider when assessing your risk of stroke.