Cholesterol Lowering Foods

If you have high cholesterol, you really have no choice but to try to lower it. Choosing not to do so drastically increases the risk of one having high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, three medical conditions that can have a major impact on the long-term outlook in one’s life. Happily getting your cholesterol levels under control can be as simple as diet changes and eating foods to reduce bad cholesterol.

Diet is always a good place to start with just about any illness or medical condition, but when it comes to lowering the amount of cholesterol in the foods you eat can have a big impact on how successful the attempt will be. In the end it’s about eating healthy and adhering to some kind of exercise program. Eating cholesterol lowering foods will help as well.

What are some foods that can lower cholesterol? Here are some suggestions and tips that will help.

Seafood and Omega-3 fatty acids are sorely missed in our typical modern day diet and has been shown through medical studies to help lower “bad” LDL cholesterol levels while simultaneously raising the “good” HDL cholesterol in your bloodstream. Omega-3 fatty acids are found primarily in seafood with salmon and this is one of the best sources for this helpful cholesterol lowering food. You can also find it in flaxseed and in supplement form as a way to be consistent with your efforts.

Fiber is your friend so consider adding to your diet as much as possible. Example foods that are high in fiber such as oatmeal, vegetables, beans, fruit, wheat bread, cereals and high fiber are all excellent choices to watching your cholesterol.

Fried and fast foods should be avoided wherever possible and make sure to choose healthier choices from the menu if you have to eat at a restaurant. Because of its high saturated fat content, these foods should be considered nothing more than cholesterol bombs.

Avoid all trans fats from your diet. Anything with food labels listed as hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated should be eliminated at all costs.

Lowering cholesterol is not simply about avoiding foods high in cholesterol. Selecting foods as mentioned above and adding more cholesterol lowering foods will help immensely.

Apples are great and as the saying goes, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away..” so eat what you like, just no apple pie! Apple Pectin is a soluble fiber that helps flush cholesterol out of your system.

Beans and vegetables are an exceptional source of soluble fiber and very high in vegetable protein. By properly combining beans with brown rice, throw in some seeds, add corn, plus some wheat and you can make a complete protein meal that will lower cholesterol.

Eat plenty of garlic. Garlic contains the chemical allicin, which has been shown in tests to kill bacteria and fungi, and relieve some digestive problems. Garlic also helps by lowering the blood-clotting properties of blood.

Soy is excellent for lowering cholesterol. The top health-promoting components in soybeans are isoflavones and soluble fiber which again useful for lowering cholesterol. Isoflavones act like human hormones that can lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol.

Walnuts can decrease blood cholesterol as they are loaded in polyunsaturated fatty acids which is necessary for a healthy lifestyle. Walnuts also help keep blood vessels healthy and elastic.

One of the most favored cholesterol lower foods to be recommended by medical professionals is none other then a glass of red wine. It has been suggested an alcoholic drink a day is helpful, but more isn’t so be sure not to overdo it!

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