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If your cholesterol levels have been elevated over the years, you may wonder if changing your diet can help. Ideally, your total cholesterol value should be 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or less. But experts are most concerned about dangerous LDL cholesterol levels. Too much LDL builds up on artery walls and causes the release of inflammatory substances that increase the risk of heart disease.
Foods Help Lower High Cholesterol
“To prevent heart disease, your LDL should be 100 mg/dL or lower,” says Dr. Jorge Plutzky, director of preventive cardiology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, which is affiliated with Harvard. But many Americans have LDL values that are too low (100 to 129 mg/dL) or too high (130 to 159 mg/dL).
How To Lower Your Cholesterol Fast With Food
If you fall into one of these categories, you may be able to lower your LDL to a higher level by changing what you eat, especially if your current diet could use an improvement. However, most people with higher LDL levels may need to take cholesterol-lowering drugs, such as statins, Dr. Plutzky.
Avoiding high cholesterol foods is not the best way to lower your LDL. Your overall diet – especially the types of fats and carbohydrates you eat – has the greatest impact on your blood cholesterol levels. “As the American Heart Association points out, you’ll get the most bang for your buck by cutting back on saturated fat and replacing it with trans fat,” says Kathy McManus, director of the Nutrition Department at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
This means avoiding meat, cheese, and high-fat dairy products like butter, half-and-half, and ice cream. It’s also important to replace those calories with unsaturated fats (such as those found in vegetable oil, avocados, and fatty fish) instead of refined carbohydrates like white bread, pasta, and rice. white. Unlike fat y, these starchy foods are not very filling, and can lead to overeating and weight gain.
The other big problem with refined carbon? They are very low in fiber, which helps to remove cholesterol from the body (see “Fiber factor”).
Reducing Cholesterol Naturally: What Foods Should Be Eaten & Avoided?
Your body cannot break down fiber, so it passes through your body undigested. It is of two types: insoluble and soluble. Fiber-rich foods often contain a mixture of the two.
Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water. Although it doesn’t directly lower LDL, this type of fiber fills you up, complements other cholesterol-raising foods in your diet and helps with weight loss.
Soluble fiber dissolves in water, forming a gel. This gel traps some of the cholesterol in your body, so it is removed as waste instead of entering your bloodstream.
Insoluble fiber also binds to bile acids, which carry fat from your intestines to the large intestine for elimination. This prompts your liver to make more fatty acids – a process that requires cholesterol. If the liver does not have enough cholesterol, it pulls more from the bloodstream, which lowers circulating LDL.
Which Foods That Lower Cholesterol Fat?
Finally, some soluble fibers (called oligosaccharides) are fermented into short-chain fatty acids in the gut. These fatty acids can inhibit the production of cholesterol.
The following 11 foods are good sources of fiber or monounsaturated fat (or both). But they are in no particular order and are just suggestions. Most grains, vegetables and fruits are good sources of fiber. And most nuts and seeds (and their oils) provide monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats.
1. Oatmeal. This whole grain is one of the best sources of soluble fiber, along with barley (see “Grain of the Month” at right). Start your day with a bowl made of cast iron or old-fashioned ingredients, topped with fresh or dried fruit for a little extra fiber.
2. white beans. Also known as navy beans, this variety has the highest fiber content. Also try different types of beans, such as black beans, garbanzos, or kidney beans, which you can add to salads, soups, or chili. But avoid canned beans, which are canned in sauces full of added sugar.
Healthy Breakfasts To Help Lower Cholesterol
3. Avocado. The flesh of the green, green avocado is not only rich in monounsaturated fat but also contains soluble and insoluble fiber. Enjoy this fruit sliced in a salad, pureed in a dip, or mashed and spread on a slice of whole grain bread.
4. Eggplant. Although not everyone’s favorite, these deep purple vegetables are one of the richest sources of insoluble fiber. One idea: roast or roast whole eggplants until soft and use the flesh in a Middle Eastern dip called baba ghanoush.
5. Carrots. Raw baby carrots are a light and convenient snack – and they also give you an irresistible dose.
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6. almonds. Among nuts, almonds are the highest in fiber, although other popular types such as pistachios and pecans are close behind. Nuts have the added benefit of being a good source of plant-based, polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids.
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7. Kiwi fruit. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to peel these fuzzy fruits. But to avoid the skin, cut one in half and scoop out the inside with a spoon for a light, high-fiber, sweet treat.
8. Berries. Because these fruits are full of small seeds, their fiber content is higher than most other fruits. Blackberries and raspberries provide the most, but strawberries and blueberries are also good sources.
9. Cabbage. Not only does this cruciferous vegetable provide fiber, but it can also be substituted for white rice. Just chop it or grind it in a “processor” to resemble rice, then add a little olive oil until smooth.
10. Soy. Eating soy and foods made from it, such as soy milk, tofu, and tempeh, have been considered a powerful way to lower cholesterol. Recent analyzes have shown that the effect is modest, at best. However, high protein and soy foods are a far better choice than hamburgers or other red meats.
Can Avocados Lower My Cholesterol?
11. Salmon. Similarly, eating cold fish like salmon twice a week can lower LDL by replacing meat and releasing omega-3 fats. Other good fish options include small canned tuna and canned sardines.
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Should We Avoid High Cholesterol Foods?
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Legumes are rich in fiber, minerals and protein. Replacing refined grains and processed meats in your diet with legumes can reduce your risk of heart disease.
A review of 26 randomized controlled studies showed that eating 1/2 (100 grams) of legumes per day was effective in lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol by about 6.6 mg/dl, compared to by not eating legumes (
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Summary Legumes such as beans, peas and lentils can help lower “bad” LDL levels and are a good source of plant-based protein.
High Fiber Low Fat Recipes To Help Lower Cholesterol
They are a rich source of monounsaturated fat and fiber – two nutrients that help lower “bad” LDL and increase “good” HDL cholesterol (5).
In one study, overweight and obese adults with high LDL cholesterol who ate one avocado a day lowered their LDL levels more than those who did not eat avocados (
A study of 10 studies determined that the substitution of avocado for other fats
