Overeating or not eating enough of these 10 foods and nutrients likely contributes to almost half of U.S. deaths from heart disease, strokes and diabetes.

Three culprits in particular: Bacon, Soda and Nuts.  

The study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association singles out these foods and nutrients because of the research linking them with causes of death.

Lead author Renata Micha, found that too much salt was the biggest problem, which accounts for about 10 percent of deaths, followed by undereating nuts, seeds, and seafood counting for 8 percent of deaths.

Here are the study's recommendations for avoiding an early death by salt:

"Good" ingredients

Fruits: 3 average-sized fruits daily

Vegetables: 2 cups cooked or 4 cups raw vegetables daily

Nuts/seeds: 5 1-ounce servings per week about 20 nuts per serving

Whole grains: 2 1/2 daily servings

Polyunsaturated fats, found in many vegetable oils: 11 per cent of daily calories

Seafood: about 8 ounces weekly

"Bad" Ingredients

Red meat: 1 serving weekly - 1 medium steak or the equivalent

Processed meat: None recommended

Sugary drinks: None recommended

Salt: 2,000 milligrams daily - just under a teaspoon.

[Source: Metro news]