In adults, normal values for systolic pressure (in centimeters of mercury) range from 10 to 13.9 cm Hg and for diastolic pressure from 6 to 8.9 cm Hg. Values above these limits can lead to cardiovascular disease. Get these foods off your daily menu before it’s too late.

1. Alcohol
Alcohol is a double-edged sword. Small amounts of alcohol can actually lower blood pressure, but drinking too much alcohol can raise it and even cause hypertension, even in people who drink only occasionally but in large amounts, revealed a 1991 study published in the journal Hypertension.

2. French fries
They are typically prepared in oils full of hydrogenated fatty acids (trans fats), which when consumed in excess can lead to obesity and heart disease. On the other hand, they are usually served loaded with salt, another food dangerous for blood pressure.

3. Refined sugars
Refined sugars contribute to the deposition of fat in the body, which increases the propensity for obesity, which in itself is a major factor in increasing blood pressure. And also sugars increase blood pressure, particularly in overweight people, according to a 2014 study published in Open Heart, a journal of the BMJ group.

4. Salt
Like sugar, it is in thousands of foods, especially processed foods. Cured hams, frozen and canned products can contain large amounts of salt. The sodium present in salt has the particularity of being associated with water, causing an increase in the volume of circulating blood, which in people with some predisposition may be sufficient to increase blood pressure values. According to the World Health Organization, we should not eat more than five grams of salt per day. Sometimes a single canned product doubles that amount.

5. Frozen pizza
All pizzas are bad for your health, but frozen ones are the worst. They are loaded with sodium. The combination of cheese, cured meats, tomato sauce and bread makes pizza a product in which all ingredients are harmful. To maintain the pizza’s flavor, manufacturers add more salt. One sixth of a frozen pizza can have up to 1000 milligrams of salt.

6. Coffee
Caffeine raises blood pressure significantly. Caffeine can cause an excessive release of cortisol and adrenaline, substances that increase blood pressure, confirms a study by Charalambos Vlachopoulos, cardiologist and professor at the Medical School of Athens, Greece.

7. Pickles
Preserving any food requires salt. Salt stops food from spoiling and preserves food. However, the salt can turn the cucumber into a sodium sponge.

8. Chinese food
Typically Chinese food has high amounts of sodium, as does the soy sauce that we add to it. This salt load can substantially increase blood pressure and harm your cardiovascular health.

9. Ketchup and other sauces
These processed foods contain large amounts of sodium that can be as high as 1000 milligrams. Sodium affects the kidneys’ ability to eliminate excess water. Water retention contributes to blood pressure elevations.

10. Sugary drinks
Sugary drinks can lead to obesity or overweight. As already mentioned, obesity often leads to high blood pressure, insulin resistance and diabetes.