If you are suffering from high cholesterol level because of your existing diet, then there are ways by which you can reduce it. Simple changes like snacking on nuts, sprinkling a small amount of olive oil on your salad, and gulping down a little chocolate daily can help. By consuming cholesterol-lowering foods as a part of your regular diet, you can manage the condition easily. This is because such strategies will assist you in decreasing cravings for foods that are rich in cholesterol. By maintaining cholesterol level, the risk of stroke and heart attack also reduces gradually.
Some popular cholesterol-lowering foods are as follows:
Oats
If you are searching for various effective ways to reduce your cholesterol level naturally, then one of the best possible procedures is by changing the morning meal. If you consume two servings of oats consuming calorie-rich foods like sandwiches, deep- fried omelets, etc., then you will be able to lower 5.3% of bad cholesterol in just forty- two days. This is because oats contain a particular substance called beta-glucan which is efficient in absorbing LDL (bad cholesterol). If you find it boring to eat cholesterol-lowering foods like oats daily, then you can try different recipes of oats to make it interesting.
Fatty fish and salmon
A natural and amazing health wonder is Omega- 3 fats. It is effective in treating dementia, heart disease as well as various other diseases. Besides these benefits, another beneficial feature of such fats is to lower cholesterol level. According to Loma Linda University’s research, reducing saturated fats with the help of Omega- 3 fats found in fatty fish and salmon might increase good cholesterol up to 4%.
Nuts
If you are in search of snacks which can satiate your hunger and also reduce the level of cholesterol simultaneously, then you can opt for nuts. A study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It stated that if an individual consumed 1.5 oz of walnuts continuously for a month and six days per week, then it reduced the total cholesterol level by 5.4% as well as LDL cholesterol by 9.3%.
Apart from whole walnuts, two other useful options in decreasing cholesterol from your body are cashews and almonds. Nuts prove to be healthy for a person’s heart, but they contain high- calories too. So, it is better to practice consuming a controlled amount of nuts such as 1.5 oz which means equal to one and a half shot glass. Thus, if you are willing to consider nuts as cholesterol-lowering foods, then you must use a shot glass for measuring the specific portion which is perfect for your health. It will be a wise decision to consult a physician in such cases as he or she is the best person to suggest the amount needed by your body.
Avocado
A fantastic source of monosaturated fat that is healthy for the heart and is helpful in raising HDL or good cholesterol levels as well as decreasing LDL levels is avocado. This particular food contains beta-sitosterol which is an effective fat that is plant-based. It assists in lowering the cholesterol amount, which is absorbed by your daily food. Thus, the excellent combination of monosaturated fat along with beta-sitosterol proves avocado to be an outstanding cholesterol buster.
As avocado is rich in calorie, so the best strategy for consuming this veggie is by removing some other fatty food from your diet. An avocado (whole) contains thirty grams fat and three hundred calories. Again, the best idea is to take the advice of your doctor rather than determining the amount required for lowering cholesterol on your own.
Spinach
Among numerous cholesterol-lowering foods, one of the healthiest and common green food is spinach. It consists of huge amount of lutein which is the yellow pigment present in deep green leafy vegetables as well as in egg yolks. According to researchers, if a person consumes half a cup of food rich in lutein then it will protect him or her against heart attack as it assists the walls of arteries to remove cholesterol invaders.
Tea
You might be astonished to see the name of this beverage on the list of cholesterol-lowering foods. In the hot or iced state, tea provides lots of anti-oxidant compounds. Such compounds also help in reducing the level of cholesterol as well as blood pressure. Both black and green tea possesses high levels of anti-oxidants so you can enjoy a minimum of one cup tea daily.
If by chance you are already consuming the above- mentioned cholesterol-lowering foods, then you need to continue it for maintaining your good health. If not, then it will be a wise decision to add some of these food items to your daily diet. Stay healthy and happy forever as well as help others to do the same!
