Foods That Lower Cholesterol Level is more important, especially it could in fast reduce cholesterol level. Is cholesterol our friend or foe? Naturally, all substances found in our body are essential for the body’s system or metabolism and cholesterol is not the exception. Cholesterol could be naturally manufactured by body itself but also able to obtained through foods. Since blood is water-based, cholesterol which characteristic is fat-like cannot be dissolved in the blood. That’s why the terms like LDL and HDL is coming forward, they are lipoproteins which are functioning as the carrier of cholesterol.
Generally there are four main functions of cholesterol:
- First, cholesterol has big contribution in producing bile as part of digestive system inside the intestine.
- Second, cholesterol also has prominent role in structuring the walls of cell.
- Third, cholesterol is controlling the producing of Vitamin D.
- Fourth, some hormones which are essential for your body cannot be produced without cholesterol.
The problem comes when the level of cholesterol in your body is more than what that required, which is shown by the ratio of LDL (Low Density Cholesterol) and HDL (High Density Cholesterol) amount in your blood. If LDL ratio is higher than HDL the risk of heart disease, stroke or any cardiovascular diseases will be increased. It is due to the ability of LDL to produce the accumulation of plaque that can clog the arteries, while HDL is functioning as the remover of LDL from arteries and carry them away to the liver to be broken down. That’s why LDL is considered as ‘bad’ cholesterol while HDL is the ‘good’ cholesterol.
The question that comes next is what we should do when the level of LDL is higher than HDL, what we should do to lower the level of cholesterol in the body so it will back to its main function instead of causing some serious diseases? Well, as mentioned above the amount of cholesterol could be obtained naturally by the body and the foods. If it is difficult to control our body then it is much easier to control it through foods.. However, don’t just depend on what kind of foods you eat and don’t ever thing that just by consuming foods that are good in lowering cholesterol level then you’ll be fine. Regular exercise to maintain your body weight, shape and blood circulation is also necessarily for you to do.
To learn more about types of foods which are good for your cholesterol, below is the list of top choice foods which are consisting of beans, nuts, fruits, vegetables, beverages and herbs that have already been proven to help in lowering the level of cholesterol:
Beans and Nuts For Lower Cholesterol Level
Best Foods That Lower Cholesterol Level could become from beans and nuts. All types of beans and nuts are naturally good for heart health but below are the top lists since soy and pinto beans are two types of beans that are commonly found in daily dishes and nuts like walnuts, cashew and almond are popular snacks in the world. Oatmeal itself is like a breakfast signature that becomes world’s healthiest choice of breakfast.
- Soy Bean
The special ability of soy bean in cutting the level of cholesterol is by reducing the amount of saturated fat obtained from foods. Saturated fat is one of the substances used by liver to manufacture cholesterol; excess amount of saturated fat could cause the excess production of cholesterol as well. Furthermore, isoflavones contained in soy beans is also able to assist in reducing the LDL cholesterol.
- Pinto Beans
Pinto beans are rich of soluble fiber. Soluble fiber is gel-like substances that could bind the excess cholesterol found inside the intestine system. Besides that, the fiber is also beneficial in slowing down the absorption of cholesterol obtained from food to avoid the excessive production of cholesterol.
- Walnuts
Consuming too much walnut could cause a weight gain but walnut is good in maintaining the health of blood vessels. That’s why to avoid the side effect, don’t consume walnuts with other foods that high in saturated fat to reduce the risk of weight gain for the optimal benefits of walnuts in controlling the cholesterol level.
- Cashew
Cashew is rich of monounsaturated fats or MUFAs which has big role in the increasing of HDL level and lowering the LDL level. Besides that cashew and most of nuts variant is containing vitamin E which is good for heart health by preventing the oxidation of cholesterol as well as the formulation of plaques in the blood vessels.
- Almonds
Almond is healthy snack option that could be a delicious solution to getting rid of excess amount of cholesterol. However, almond is also high in calories, so making sure to combine your diet wisely to make sure the calories level in your body is under control.
- Oatmeal
Is oatmeal is part of your daily breakfast? You could congratulate yourself because there is no healthier way to start your day but by consuming a bowl of oatmeal. Oatmeal contained beta-glucan that could absorb excess cholesterol in your body as part of control mechanism to keep your body away from excess cholesterol.
Fruits For Lower Cholesterol Level
Fruits which are generally low in fat and calories as well as rich of fiber, vitamins and antioxidants are good for heart as well as beneficial in lowering cholesterol. Below are the top list of fruits you could found in almost everyday meals.
- Avocado
Avocado is one of the potent sources of MUFAs or monounsaturated fatty acids. MUFAs is healthy fat that could act as natural replacement of saturated fats found in meats. Recent studies showed that MUFAs is able to stimulating the production of HDL level. Besides that, avocado is also containing beta-sitosterol that could assist in controlling the cholesterol absorbed from foods.
- Apple
Apple is rich of polyphenols, an antioxidant compound which has been widely known to be effective in fighting cholesterol. This chemical substance helps in preventing the oxidation of LDL or bad cholesterol, which the excess amount of cholesterol could accumulate in the artery’s wall and formulate plaques. Furthermore, apple is also rich of soluble fiber which has the same function in removing excess cholesterol from the intestine for healthier and normal digestive system.
- Strawberry
Pectin contained in strawberry is one type of soluble fiber. Soluble fiber is type of healthy fiber is not only able to maintain the digestive system to function normally. Healthy digestive system means healthy metabolism besides that soluble fiber is also effective in binding and removing excess cholesterol from the intestine.
- All Citrus Variety
All varieties of citrus are containing high vitamin C. Vitamin C may be the most popular vitamin but its popularity is not without reasons since there are a lot of benefits of vitamin C for human health and one of them is preventing the oxidation of cholesterol, so just by consuming them regularly you could control the level of cholesterol in your body.
- Grapes
One of the substances contained in grape has been proven to be able in stimulating a certain enzymes that involved in regulating blood fat level like cholesterol. The substance is called pterostilbene. Besides that the same compound is also able to reduce triglycerides, similar fat content similar to cholesterol which could cause the raise of sugar blood level.
- Blueberries
The cholesterol problem is shown by the accumulation of plaques in the blood vessels. Vitamin E found in blueberries could prevent the accumulation of plaque as well as prevent the oxidation of cholesterol that could cause the vessels being clogged and cause the heart problem.
- Figs
Fig is considered to be one of the healthiest foods in the world due to its rich of nutrients and as well as its ability in preventing some serious diseases. One of the super powers that figs have is lowering the cholesterol level. It is due to the soluble fiber found in figs are able to lower the bad cholesterol (LDL) and at the same time are also able to increase the good cholesterol (HDL).
Vegetables Lower Cholesterol Level
Just like fruits, consuming vegetables always good for your heart. Below is the list of recommended vegetables to lower cholesterol. They are easy to find and also healthy to consume.
- Spinach
This simple vegetable is also well known as powerful food to lower cholesterol because of the lutein contained in spinach is relatively high. Lutein provides one more layer of protection for the artery wall from being clogged by the accumulation of LDL.
- Eggplant
Why eggplant is considered to be one of the vegetables that are good in lowering cholesterol level is due to the high amount of fiber contained in eggplant. Basically there are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Insoluble though there is no significant role in affecting cholesterol level but its is very beneficial for body, while soluble fiber is able to significantly controlling the level of cholesterol obtained from foods by binding the substance found in intestine and wasting them away from the body.
- Okra
Besides eggplant, one more vegetable which is so rich of fiber is okra. As rich in soluble fiber of course okra is also able to affect the level of cholesterol. The function of fiber is detoxifying the intestine from unnecessary substances and excess cholesterol is one of the substances which will be removed and washed along with the wastes.
- Tomatoes
Lycopene found in tomatoes is not only antioxidant that gives tomatoes the red pigment but studies also have proven that lycopene is beneficial for people with cholesterol condition by lowering the LDL level. Besides that the soluble fiber contained in tomatoes is also able to bind the excess cholesterol in the intestine and wash them away.
- Asparagus
The key factor why asparagus is good for controlling cholesterol level is one of the compounds of Vitamin B3 called niacin. Niacin is contributing in the elimination of cholesterol LDL and increase the production of HDL.
- Cabbage
Cabbage is also rich of fiber that could assist in lowering the cholesterol level. However, there is one important thing to note when it comes to cabbage, don’t cook it too long and the best way to cook is by steaming not and not boiling it. By steaming the cabbage you could keep the fiber and at the same time making your intestine and colon process the cabbage a bit easier than if you consuming them raw.
- Carrots
Carrots are rich of soluble fiber and niacin. Soluble fiber is helping lowering the level of cholesterol by binding the excess cholesterol in the intestine while niacin is contributing in increasing the production of HDL that could assist in removing the LDL cholesterol from formulating the plaques in the blood vessels.
Fish
Fish is rich of protein but the omega-3 fatty acid, DHA and EPA are the reasons why fish is good for cholesterol. Below are types of fish that commonly consumed by people and already proven to be good for your heart.
- Salmon
As cold-water-fish, salmon is relatively high in Omega-3 fatty acid. Besides that, together with DHA and EPA contained in salmon, Omega-3 fatty acids are good for heart health by lowering the production of LDL and increasing the production of HDL. Salmon is also containing low saturated fat so it is healthy to be consumed by people with cardiovascular conditions.
- Sardines
Sardines are well known to be HDL cholesterol booster. Besides that the fatty acid contained in sardines is exactly what your heart needs.
- Tuna
As rich in Omega-3 fatty acid, of course tuna is good for your heart health. The level of LDL could be controlled if the level f HDL is higher that’s why by making sure you have higher ration of HDL is the first step to control your cholesterol level. Omega-3 fatty acid contributes significantly in making sure that the ratio of HDL is higher than LDL.
Herbs
There are many best Foods That Lower Cholesterol Level came from herbs one, with no side effects, you better use this kind of food or spices.
- Garlic
Garlic is one of the natural herbs easily found in every kitchen. Recent studies also found that garlic is beneficial to lower the cholesterol level. It is due to the ability of garlic to prevent the accumulation of nanoplaque. Before plaque is formulated, nanoplaque is the cholesterol particle that will stick to the artery walls.
- Onion
Along with garlic, onion is also one of the herbs that easily found in the kitchen and usually used as ingredients for daily meals. There is one compound found in onion that has been proven to be able in controlling the cholesterol level; it is allinase. You must found it annoying to when chopping onion and it makes you cry like a baby; well the reason behind it is allinase. So, embrace it, it probably makes you cry but it is beneficial for your cholesterol.
Beverages
- Tea
Who doesn’t like tea? Now, you could enjoy a cup a tea as part of your remedy to lower your cholesterol level. Tea is one of the powerful sources of antioxidant called flavonoid. Besides that flavonoid contained in tea is not only able to prevent the formulation of LDL on artery walls but also able to relax the blood vessel so it will improve the blood circulation.
- Red Wine
The ability of red wine in reducing cholesterol level is as effective as grape itself. It is due to the high fiber contained in red grape to produce wine is powerful substance that could help in reducing the cholesterol level. Polyphenol is one of the types of antioxidant that also found in red wine and beneficial in lowering the LDL level.
Others
- Margarine
In some countries margarine is used as replacement of butter. However, the fact that margarine contained benecol that could assist in controlling the level of cholesterol by preventing the excess absorption of cholesterol obtained from food inside the intestine system before it is regulated by the lipoproteins.
- Chocolate
Believe it or not food as delicious as chocolate could lower the level of cholesterol. It is due to the flavonoid contained in chocolate that will act as powerful antioxidant by producing more HDL to keep your arteries from being unclogged by plaques caused by the accumulation of LDL. However, one important thing to note, chocolate mentioned here is dark chocolate not chocolate which is already mixed with sugar, fats and milk.
- Olive Oil
If chocolate is delicious solution, olive oil is common solution. Though it is very common but the ability of olive oil in lowering of cholesterol is not something you could take lightly. The MUFAs contained in olive oil is relatively high so just by using olive oil as your cooking ingredients you could control the level of cholesterol by lowering the production of LDL.
The problem with cholesterol is there are no early stage symptoms that will act as the indicator until everything is too late. The worst case condition that caused by cholesterol is stroke and heart attack.
- Stroke happened when the artery which used to distribute the blood and oxygen to brain is blocked by the plaque caused by excess cholesterol
- Heart attack happened when the artery used to regulate blood to the heart is blocked.
That’s why, doing regular medical check up to make sure that your current cholesterol level is under controlled is highly recommended. It is one of the preventive actions that you could be done to make sure that there will be no problem with your cholesterol.
Furthermore consuming healthy food, regular exercise and doing healthy lifestyle by not smoking and sleeping too late are also necessary to do. Once you have your own discipline toward your life, getting rid of serious medical conditions will be much easier to do.