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Changing your diet can help lower your cholesterol and enhance the amount of fats floating through your bloodstream. The best strategy to attain a low-cholesterol diet is to include foods that lower LDL, a detrimental cholesterol-carrying particle contributing to artery-clogging atherosclerosis.
Fremont, CA: Different foods reduce cholesterol in various ways. Some contain soluble fiber, which binds to cholesterol and its precursors in the digestive system and transports them out of the body before they enter circulation. Some provide polyunsaturated fats, which directly reduce LDL. And some contain plant sterols and stanols, which prevent the body from absorbing cholesterol. Oats For breakfast, a cup of oatmeal or cold oat-based cereal, such as Cheerios, is an easy first step toward decreased cholesterol. It provides between 1 and 2 grams of soluble fiber. For an extra half-gram, add a banana or some strawberries. Current nutritional guidelines recommend 20 to 35 grams of fiber daily, with at least 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber. (The ordinary American receives around half that amount.) Barley and Other Whole Grains Barley and other whole grains, including oats and oat bran, can help reduce the risk of heart disease, thanks to the soluble fiber they provide. Beans Beans are exceptionally high in soluble fiber. They also take longer for the body to digest, so you'll feel fuller for longer after eating. That is one reason beans are a good food for people attempting to reduce weight. Beans are a flexible cuisine with many varieties, including navy and kidney beans, lentils, garbanzos, black-eyed peas, and there are so many methods to prepare them. Eggplant and Okra These two low-calorie vegetables have plenty of soluble fiber. Nuts Numerous studies have shown that consuming almonds, walnuts, peanuts, and other nuts is beneficial to the heart. Eating two ounces of nuts per day can lower LDL by about 5%. Nuts contain extra nutrients that benefit the heart in different ways. Vegetable Oils To help decrease LDL, use liquid vegetable oils like canola, sunflower, safflower, and others instead of butter, lard, or shortening when cooking or eating. Apples, Grapes, Strawberries and Citrus Fruits These fruits are high in pectin, a soluble fiber that reduces LDL. Foods Fortified with Sterols and Stanols Sterols and stanols derived from plants impair the body's capacity to absorb cholesterol from the diet. They are added to a variety of meals, including margarine, granola bars, orange juice, and chocolate, and are also available as supplements. Consuming 2 grams of plant sterols or stanols per day can reduce LDL cholesterol by around 10%. Soy Sterols and stanols derived from plants impair the body's capacity to absorb cholesterol from the diet. They are added to a variety of meals, including margarine, granola bars, orange juice, and chocolate, and are also available as supplements. Consuming 2 grams of plant sterols or stanols per day can reduce LDL cholesterol by around 10%. Fatty Fish Eating fish two or three times a week can help lower LDL in two ways: replacing meat, which contains LDL-boosting saturated fats, and providing LDL-lowering omega-3 fats. Omega-3s lower blood triglycerides while also protecting the heart by preventing irregular heart rhythms from developing. Fiber Supplements Eating fish two or three times a week can help lower LDL in two ways: replacing meat, which contains LDL-boosting saturated fats, and providing LDL-lowering omega-3 fats. Omega-3s lower blood triglycerides while also protecting the heart by preventing irregular heart rhythms from developing.
