Foods That Lower Cholesterol Levels are recommended by health professionals all over the world. Low-Density Lipoproteins (LDL) are regarded as the “bad” type of cholesterol. This is because they tend to accumulate on the inner linings of the blood vessels, forming plaque. As the build-up of the plaque progresses, it narrows blood vessels.
This in turn greatly reduces the amount of blood that these vessels can carry. The buildup of plaque is particularly dangerous when it forms in the inner linings of the arteries that supply blood to vital organs such as the heart or brain. If the arteries become narrowed, you are exposed to the risk of having a blood clot or having some substances getting stuck in the arteries. This then increases the risk of suffering from either a heart attack or even a stroke.
High-Density Lipoproteins (HDL) is regarded as the “good” type of cholesterol. This is because they absorb the circulating cholesterol and returns them to the liver where they are excreted.
In order for you to stay healthy, you must ensure that you limit or reduce your LDL levels as you increase your HDL levels. This can be adhered to by eating foods that lower Cholesterol Levels. This helps to ensure that you have enough HDL in circulation which in turn helps to keep your LDL levels in check.
The body easily absorbs HDL from foods that lower cholesterol levels and are rich in unsaturated fats. LDL levels in the blood are increased by foods that are rich in saturated and trans fats.
There are various ways in which different foods lower blood cholesterol levels. They include:
- By delivering soluble fiber that binds the cholesterol together with its precursors in the digestive system. They are then dragged out of the body before they get into blood circulation.
- By giving you polyunsaturated fats that directly lower your LDL levels.
- By blocking the absorption of cholesterol by the body using plant sterols and stanols contained in the food.
Below are some types of foods that lower cholesterol levels in the body.
- Whole grains such as oats, oat bran, and barley are the most recommended foods that lower cholesterol levels. They can be taken in various forms such as porridge, as a smoothie, or added to stews. They contain soluble fiber and can be eaten with fruits that contain more soluble fiber such as bananas and strawberries.
- Pulses such as beans, lentils, garbanzos, and peas among others. They are rich in soluble fiber. This fiber makes the body to take a while to digest them, which means that you will feel full for much longer after you have had your meal. This makes them a great option for those trying to lose or maintain a healthy weight as well.
4 Okra and eggplant. They are low-calorie vegetables. They are also rich in soluble fiber.
- Nuts such as pistachio, almonds, cashew nuts, walnuts, and peanuts. These are good foods that lower cholesterol levels. They are considered to be good for the heart. They help to lower your LDL levels. They also contain other nutrients that protect the heart from diseases.
- Vegetable oils such as canola, safflower, corn, and sunflower. They are good replacements for butter or lard, and they help lower LDL.
- Fruits that are rich in pectin. This is a type of soluble fiber that helps in lowering your LDL levels. Such fruits include: strawberries, apples, grapes, and citrus fruits.
- Foods that are fortified with sterols and stanols extracted from plant gum. These help the body in absorbing cholesterol in food by binding it together then it’s delivered to the liver for excretion. This thus lowers your LDL levels. They are currently being added to juices, chocolate bars, granola bars, and margarine. They have also been made as supplements.
- Soy is extracted from soybeans in foods such as tofu and soy milk. It’s considered a great source of soluble fiber.
10 Eating fatty fish at least twice a week. Fish is one of the foods that lower cholesterol levels. This lowers your LDL levels in two ways.
- By replacing meat, that contains saturated fats that increase your LDL levels.
- Fish contains Omega-3 fats that lower your LDL levels by reducing the triglycerides present in the blood. This also helps to protect the heart from abnormal heart rhythms.
- Fiber supplements such as psyllium are contained in bulk-forming laxatives such as Metamucil. They help the body to get soluble fiber. These are some of the foods that lower cholesterol levels.
Source
https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/11-foods-that-lower-cholesterol
