Eating foods that raise your cholesterol levels is extremely easy, actually it is hard not to do it. It is just as simple to change your diet, to reduce the level of cholesterol and to improve the composition of healthy fats in your body.
Cholesterol becomes our “enemy” when its level rises in the blood, especially correlated with the increase of LDL lipoproteins – “bad cholesterol”.
Some foods have a particularly high power in helping you lower your cholesterol. They provide a high dose of soluble fiber, which binds cholesterol and its precursors in the digestive tract and helps eliminate them from the body before they are absorbed and enter the bloodstream. Other foods provide polyunsaturated fats that instantly lower LDL -cholesterol levels (considered bad cholesterol). And foods with sterols and stanols prevent the body from absorbing the cholesterol.
Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and “good fats” are part of a heart-healthy diet.
Oat. An easy way to start your cholesterol lowering process is to choose oatmeal or oatmeal cereals for breakfast. They provide the body with 1-2 grams of soluble fiber. Add a banana or a few strawberries for another half gram of soluble fiber.
Beans. Beans are the most valuable source of vegetable protein, they contain calcium, iron and soluble fibers that lower blood cholesterol. As the body digests beans in a longer time, it helps you feel full longer after a meal. Thus, beans are a useful food for people trying to lose weight.
Nuts. Eating almonds, nuts, hazelnuts and other nuts is good for the heart, many studies show. Eat 56 grams of nuts and you can reduce LDL-cholesterol by about 5%. In addition, nuts have additional nutrients that further protect the heart.
Foods enriched with sterols and stanols. Sterols and stanols extracted from plants increase the body’s ability to absorb cholesterol from food. Food manufacturers add them to a wide variety of products. Sterols and stanols can also be found in the form of supplements.
Oily fish. Consumption of fish 2-3 times a week can lower LDL-cholesterol by stimulating saturated fats and by delivering omega-3 fats. Omega-3 essential fatty acids reduce blood triglycerides and protect the heart.
Soya. Soy-based products contain plant estrogens and bioflavonoids that protect against heart disease and lower blood cholesterol.
Green vegetables. All greens and vegetables on the market – spinach, lettuce, stevia, nettles – reduce blood cholesterol.
Garlic and green onions. They have antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, have an antioxidant effect and increase immunity.
Cherries. They are diuretics, laxatives and contain pectins, soluble fibers that lower blood cholesterol and relieve constipation.
Beet. The phytonutrients in the composition of beetroot fix the cholesterol in the digestive tract, decreasing absorption and implicitly leading to a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Grapes. They have always been considered a food with multiple therapeutic properties: they fight kidney stones and gallstones, reduce blood cholesterol and uric acid levels, are detoxifying and regenerating, eliminate chronic fatigue, stress and poor mood.
Artichoke. It stimulates liver function, lowers blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides and limits the storage of fat in the liver.
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