Fried foods may taste good, but they up your chance of having major cardiovascular problems, such as a heart attack, by 28 percent

The research combines data from 17 studies involving a half-million adults tracked for about a decade, and it compared cardiovascular outcomes among those who ate the most and least amounts of fried foods.

Besides heart attack and stroke, heightened risk for heart failure and coronary artery disease (by 37 percent and 22 percent, respectively) was linked to fried food consumption, too.

The health-related negatives of fried food include generally higher calories and fat, as well as extra salt and a tastiness that often leads people to eat multiple servings, which contributes to weight problems.

To achieve a more heart-healthy eating plan, health experts suggest including a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products, opting for skinless poultry and fish and lean cuts of other meats, and choosing to bake, roast, grill, steam, poach or broil rather than fry the foods you prepare.