For example, a label that starts with sugar means that the product has more sugar than anything else. Stay away from fatty foods, sodium, caffeine, cholesterol, sugars and nitrates. Salt can cause high blood pressure, so keep sodium and salt to 3,000 to 4,000 mg per day. Caffeine can raise your blood pressure and facilitate dehydration. Cholesterol can clog arteries, so limit it to no more than 300 mg a day.
Sugar adds unneeded calories.
Nitrates may cause cancer. Go for the good fat. Some fat is necessary in your diet. But the goal is to cut back on saturated fats, keeping it to less than 10 percent of total calories. The good fats include monounsaturated, which can lower bad cholesterol, and polyunsaturated.