You may have heard that eating certain foods is bad for your health since they raise the fat content in your body and increase your chances of getting a heart attack, for example, fast foods. The same also holds for meals that are good for you, for example, eating foods that lower cholesterol helps you to maintain low density lipo-protein (LDL) levels and reduce weight.
Below are examples of top 10 foods that lower cholesterol fast.
1. Soya Foods
Eating as little as 15 g of soya meals per day can help you reduce cholesterol levels by as much as 6%. Examples include soy beans, soy milk, and tofu. Other health benefits of soya foods include being a source of Omega-3, fiber, and proteins.
2. Oats
Foods that lower cholesterol are not limited to main meals alone, they can also include breakfast. Oats are a healthy way to start your day. One bowl of oats gives you 2 grams of fiber and lowers your LDL levels. To spice up the combination, you can add some fruits to the oatmeal and increase the fiber levels by at least 1 gram.
3. Foods Fortified with Plant Sterols and Stanols
Plant sterols or stanols are generally found in vegetable oils, whole grains, seeds, fruits, nuts, and vegetables. There are also prescription drugs for plant sterols and stanols since some people cannot get sufficient nutrients from natural sources. Normally, consuming 1.5 to 2.5 g of plant sterols or stanols lowers cholesterol by between 7 and 10%.
4. Beans and Peas
Beans and peas are rich in fiber and take longer to be digested. As a result, you end up feeling full for extended periods. This effect makes beans the perfect meal for people trying to lose weight because it prevents them from eating all the time. A plate of cooked beans and peas reduce the LDL levels by up to 5%.
5. Fruits and Vegetables
Foods that lower cholesterol also include fruits and vegetables. Any fruit or vegetable that you eat has a small saturated fat content, which helps keep your LDL levels at the prescribed minimum. Additionally, fruits and vegetables contain fiber that stops the digestive tract from absorbing cholesterol.
6. Apples, Citrus Fruits, Strawberries, and Grapes
When talking about foods that lower cholesterol, there’s a special group of fruits that include apples, citrus fruits, grapes, and strawberries. These fruits contain pectin, which is a special type of water soluble fiber that holds together cholesterol in the stomach and prevents it from getting into the blood stream and clogging the arteries.
7. Nuts
Eating almonds, peanuts, and walnuts contain high levels of unsaturated fat, fiber, vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, vegetable protein, and natural sterols, which help keep your heart healthy. In addition, taking 2 ounces of nuts reduces LDL levels by 5%.
8. Eggplant and Okra
Eggplant and Okra contain large amounts of soluble fiber which prevents the body from absorbing LDL. Research has shown that regular intake of eggplants can help reduce bad cholesterol levels by as much as 30%. Eggplant and Okra is also used by people with diabetes to lower their blood sugar levels.
9. Fatty Fish
There are two ways that fish lowers LDL levels: first, it gets rid of the LDL-boosting saturated fats, and produces omega-3 fats which is a source of healthy cholesterol. Omega-3 also reduces triglycerides in the blood and improves the heart’s health.
10. Avocado
Avocado is a good source of mono-saturated fats which helps to increase High-density Lipoprotein (HDL) levels. HDL is a form of cholesterol that transports bad cholesterol away from the arteries and towards the liver, where it undergoes chemical decomposition and is released from the body.
Conclusion
A low cholesterol diet needs you to be flexible, you don’t have to eat all the above foods at once or stick to one meal for the rest of your life. Try to mix the different foods and work with them on a daily basis.
The preferred low cholesterol diet contains high levels of fruits and vegetables and the occasional fish. In addition, remember to stick with the diet if you want it to be effective.
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