Veteran heart surgeon Dr. Philip Ovadia recently warned that refined carbohydrates may contribute heavily to chronic inflammation and plaque buildup inside arteries — two major factors linked to heart attacks.
“This food drives insulin resistance, triggers chronic inflammation, and is slowly destroying your heart,” Ovadia explained.
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The surgeon said he regularly sees the consequences in operating rooms, where unstable plaque buildup can suddenly block blood flow and trigger life-threatening cardiac events.
“It leads to exactly the inflammatory environment that turns into that soft, unstable plaque I see causing heart attacks every week,” he added.
According to Ovadia, the problem is not always obvious because many foods commonly promoted as “healthy” may still contain large amounts of refined carbohydrates.
Some examples he warned about include low-fat granola, whole wheat bread, rice cakes, flavored yogurts, fruit juice, instant oatmeal, breakfast cereal, crackers, bagels, and potato chips.
While these foods are often marketed as convenient or heart-friendly options, they may still rapidly spike blood sugar levels and contribute to insulin resistance over time, especially when eaten frequently.
Refined carbohydrates are processed foods that have had much of their natural fiber removed. Without fiber slowing digestion, sugar enters the bloodstream more quickly, which can lead to repeated insulin spikes. Over time, this may increase inflammation and raise the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Instead of heavily processed foods, Ovadia encourages people to focus on meals built around vegetables, healthy fats, and quality protein sources.
Many heart specialists continue recommending eating patterns similar to the Mediterranean diet, which is widely considered one of the healthiest diets for cardiovascular health. The Mediterranean approach emphasizes vegetables, legumes, fish, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and minimally processed foods while limiting ultra-processed products and excessive amounts of red meat.
Research has consistently linked the Mediterranean diet to lower risks of heart disease, stroke, and metabolic conditions.
Experts also emphasize that no single food alone causes heart disease. Overall dietary habits, exercise, smoking, sleep quality, stress levels, and genetics all work together to influence cardiovascular health over time.
Still, growing evidence suggests that highly processed foods and excessive refined carbohydrates may play a larger role than many people realize.
For many Americans, the warning may come as a surprise because refined carbohydrates are deeply woven into everyday meals — from breakfast cereals and flavored coffee drinks to snack foods and packaged “low-fat” products.
Doctors say paying closer attention to ingredient labels, added sugars, and heavily processed foods could be one important step toward protecting long-term heart health.