Cholesterol-Reducing Foods
By Dustin Driver
When you have high cholesterol, everybody’s always telling you what you can’t eat.
You're told that all the things that really make a meal worthwhile -- such as bacon,
butter, red meat, sausage, and puff pastry -- are strictly off-limits. You’re left with
sprouts, spinach and whole-wheat toast. But don’t despair: Some tasty and decadent
foods can actually lower your cholesterol levels. So go ahead, eat up. It could save
your life.
cholesterol basicsThere are two kinds of cholesterol: low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). LDL is known as “bad” cholesterol because it
clumps in the arteries and blocks blood flow. HDL is called “good” cholesterol
because it tends to scrape the LDL off the artery walls as it passes through your
bloodstream. This means that high HDL levels are an asset, while high LDL levels are
a problem.
Your body produces all the cholesterol it needs. Anything extra is a result of your diet,
lack of exercise, and more likely than not, stress. That means that you can change
your cholesterol levels by changing your diet. The following foods have been shown
to either lower LDL or raise HDL cholesterol levels.
the foodsNuts
Walnuts are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which keep blood vessels supple and
healthy. Almonds harbor the same fatty acids and have a similar effect. But before you
go shoveling the mixed nuts into your mouth, take notice: Nuts are very high in
calories and you only need a handful of them each day to do the trick. Studies have
shown that one-third of a cup of walnuts is enough to make a big difference, lowering
LDL cholesterol levels by as much as 12%.
Oatmeal
The people at Quaker were right: Oatmeal really is heart-healthy. The grain is high in
soluble fiber, which ensnares cholesterol in your intestines before it gets a chance to
enter your bloodstream. Eat about a cup and a half of cooked oatmeal a day and watch
your cholesterol numbers drop.
If you get sick of oatmeal, there are plenty of other options: Kidney beans, Brussels
sprouts, apples, pears, barley, and prunes contain tons of soluble fiber. Try to get
about 10 grams of the stuff a day; it’ll decrease your LDL levels by about 5%.
You can have a decadent dinner with these foods... Fish
Eskimos have great hearts -- literally. Eskimos in Greenland have a lower rate of heart
disease than others on the frozen island. Why? It’s all the fish they eat. Fish contains
high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which lower bad cholesterol levels, reducing blood
pressure and the risk of getting blood clots. But not all fish is created equal. Mackerel,
lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon have the highest levels of
omega-3 fatty acids.
Try to get about three servings of fish a week. If you happen to hate fish, try adding
some flaxseed, walnuts, canola oil or soybean oil to your diet. All are high in omega-3
fatty acids and can be mixed into dishes without imparting big flavors.
Plant sterols and stanols
They don’t sound particularly appetizing, but plant sterols and stanols can significantly
lower your cholesterol. Like soluble fiber, sterols and stanols wrap themselves around
cholesterol while it’s in your intestines. They do a really good job of it, too: Products
with sterols in them can reduce your cholesterol level by as much as 10%.
So, where can you find sterols and stanols? Oddly enough, you can find them in
fortified orange juice. Several new juices are loaded with sterols. Just look for them
on the label. For the best results, try to get about two grams of sterols a day, which
turns out to be about one glass of orange juice.
Beans
Who needs an excuse to chow down on baked beans? Just as long as you leave the
ham hawks out of the mix, beans -- lima, kidney, black, lentils, and other dried beans --
are very high in soluble fiber. And soluble fiber, you’ll remember, blocks cholesterol
before you can absorb it. Just half a cup of beans a day has been shown to reduce
cholesterol.
Fruits and veggies
It’s always a good idea to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. When you have high
cholesterol, however, it’s doubly important to eat several servings a day. Fruits and
veggies have lots of soluble fiber, so eat at least five servings a day for ultimate
benefits. But before you throw a fit, remember that a serving is only half a cup. The
best fruits and veggies -- the ones that contain the most fiber -- are apples, citrus
fruits, berries, carrots, apricots, prunes, cabbage, sweet potatoes, and Brussels
sprouts.
eat your heart outIf you’ve led a life of dietary debauchery, don’t expect these foods
to cure your cholesterol problems overnight. They’ll help, but you’ll need to get more
exercise and relaxation, and you'll have to cut back on high-fat foods to really make a
difference. If you do all these things, there’s a good chance you’ll lower your risk of
heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
By Dustin Driver
When you have high cholesterol, everybody’s always telling you what you can’t eat.
You're told that all the things that really make a meal worthwhile -- such as bacon,
butter, red meat, sausage, and puff pastry -- are strictly off-limits. You’re left with
sprouts, spinach and whole-wheat toast. But don’t despair: Some tasty and decadent
foods can actually lower your cholesterol levels. So go ahead, eat up. It could save
your life.
cholesterol basicsThere are two kinds of cholesterol: low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). LDL is known as “bad” cholesterol because it
clumps in the arteries and blocks blood flow. HDL is called “good” cholesterol
because it tends to scrape the LDL off the artery walls as it passes through your
bloodstream. This means that high HDL levels are an asset, while high LDL levels are
a problem.
Your body produces all the cholesterol it needs. Anything extra is a result of your diet,
lack of exercise, and more likely than not, stress. That means that you can change
your cholesterol levels by changing your diet. The following foods have been shown
to either lower LDL or raise HDL cholesterol levels.
the foodsNuts
Walnuts are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which keep blood vessels supple and
healthy. Almonds harbor the same fatty acids and have a similar effect. But before you
go shoveling the mixed nuts into your mouth, take notice: Nuts are very high in
calories and you only need a handful of them each day to do the trick. Studies have
shown that one-third of a cup of walnuts is enough to make a big difference, lowering
LDL cholesterol levels by as much as 12%.
Oatmeal
The people at Quaker were right: Oatmeal really is heart-healthy. The grain is high in
soluble fiber, which ensnares cholesterol in your intestines before it gets a chance to
enter your bloodstream. Eat about a cup and a half of cooked oatmeal a day and watch
your cholesterol numbers drop.
If you get sick of oatmeal, there are plenty of other options: Kidney beans, Brussels
sprouts, apples, pears, barley, and prunes contain tons of soluble fiber. Try to get
about 10 grams of the stuff a day; it’ll decrease your LDL levels by about 5%.
You can have a decadent dinner with these foods... Fish
Eskimos have great hearts -- literally. Eskimos in Greenland have a lower rate of heart
disease than others on the frozen island. Why? It’s all the fish they eat. Fish contains
high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which lower bad cholesterol levels, reducing blood
pressure and the risk of getting blood clots. But not all fish is created equal. Mackerel,
lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon have the highest levels of
omega-3 fatty acids.
Try to get about three servings of fish a week. If you happen to hate fish, try adding
some flaxseed, walnuts, canola oil or soybean oil to your diet. All are high in omega-3
fatty acids and can be mixed into dishes without imparting big flavors.
Plant sterols and stanols
They don’t sound particularly appetizing, but plant sterols and stanols can significantly
lower your cholesterol. Like soluble fiber, sterols and stanols wrap themselves around
cholesterol while it’s in your intestines. They do a really good job of it, too: Products
with sterols in them can reduce your cholesterol level by as much as 10%.
So, where can you find sterols and stanols? Oddly enough, you can find them in
fortified orange juice. Several new juices are loaded with sterols. Just look for them
on the label. For the best results, try to get about two grams of sterols a day, which
turns out to be about one glass of orange juice.
Beans
Who needs an excuse to chow down on baked beans? Just as long as you leave the
ham hawks out of the mix, beans -- lima, kidney, black, lentils, and other dried beans --
are very high in soluble fiber. And soluble fiber, you’ll remember, blocks cholesterol
before you can absorb it. Just half a cup of beans a day has been shown to reduce
cholesterol.
Fruits and veggies
It’s always a good idea to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. When you have high
cholesterol, however, it’s doubly important to eat several servings a day. Fruits and
veggies have lots of soluble fiber, so eat at least five servings a day for ultimate
benefits. But before you throw a fit, remember that a serving is only half a cup. The
best fruits and veggies -- the ones that contain the most fiber -- are apples, citrus
fruits, berries, carrots, apricots, prunes, cabbage, sweet potatoes, and Brussels
sprouts.
eat your heart outIf you’ve led a life of dietary debauchery, don’t expect these foods
to cure your cholesterol problems overnight. They’ll help, but you’ll need to get more
exercise and relaxation, and you'll have to cut back on high-fat foods to really make a
difference. If you do all these things, there’s a good chance you’ll lower your risk of
heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
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