Cholesterol is a waxy substance that stays in our blood and helps generate vitamin D and hormones. The balance of two kinds of cholesterol, LDL and HDL decide the cholesterol condition of your body.
If the LDL level increases, your overall cholesterol level gets high. This can cause heart issues and chronic diseases. So no matter what you have to lower LDL cholesterol level moderately low. On the other hand, HDL is good cholesterol and raising it benefits your body.
What will you do if you are suffering from a high cholesterol condition? Taking medications is an effective choice, no doubt about that. But do you know maintaining a proper diet can help you reduce your LDL level? This article will review how you can lower your cholesterol naturally and fast.
10 Foods To Lower Cholesterol
Foods can lower LDL cholesterol and this is not a secret. By adding the right food to your meal, you will be able to raise your HDL cholesterol, lower the bad cholesterol level, and keep your heart healthy.
Here is a list of 10 food items that will lower your cholesterol:
1. Berries
Scientists have proved that berries like strawberry, raspberry, blueberry are really good at reducing your LDL level. Besides the cholesterol-lowering property, berries offer many more benefits. For example,
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- Strawberries have polyphenol that lowers the risk of heart disease.
- Raspberries are high in soluble fiber that improves digestion.
- Blueberries decrease blood pressure.
2. Sea fishes
Sea fishes like Tuna, Mackerel, Sardines are great sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Not only that, these fishes are loaded with other nutrients. The experts believe that eating sea fishes regularly reduce the LDL level and increase good cholesterol.
The sea fishes also reduce the risk of having heart diseases, inflammation, or stroke. It is really important how you cook the fish. Steaming or stewing is healthy, but if you are thinking about deep fry, then the dish is far from healthy. Deep fried fish recipes increase the LDL level and higher the risk of heart disease.
3. Okra and eggplant
Okra is packed with soluble fibers, which reduce the LDL level and raise good cholesterol. This green vegetable can also reduce the body’s inflammation rate. Eggplant on the other hand is rich in soluble fiber and antioxidants. These nutrients lower the bad cholesterol level, improve the immune system, and so on.
4. Banana
Many of you may not know but bananas are great for reducing LDL level. This fruit eliminates the bad cholesterol from the digestive system. Also, it makes sure that the LDL can not move into the bloodstream.
5. Barley
To lower LDL cholesterol, barley, bulgur, or buckwheat can be great choices. Though these foods have similar properties and benefits as oats, you can prepare a variety of dishes with them.
6. Oats
I have just mentioned that oats reduce bad cholesterol. This food contains beta-glucan soluble fiber that removes excess cholesterol from your bloodstream.
7. Avocado
You can not thank this fruit enough for reducing the LDL level. The avocados are loaded with monosaturated fats, fibers, and other nutrients. Besides lowering the bad cholesterol, the avocado has some other benefits too. For example,
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- Keep the heart-healthy
- Reduce the blood pressure
- Lower the risk of heart disease
8. Tree nuts
Nuts are packed with vitamins, nutrients, minerals, and monosaturated fats. Eating nuts every day can reduce your LDL level. Also, this will lower the risk of heart diseases by 19%. But not all kinds of nuts are beneficial to health. Here is the list of nuts that reduce LDL cholesterol:
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- Walnuts
- Hazelnuts
- Almond
- Pine
- Pistachios
- Pecans
9. Apple
“One apple a day keeps the doctor away.” I am sure you have heard that phrase once in your life. The apples contain polyphenols, phytosterols, fibers, and other antioxidants. Researchers suggest that eating apples every day can reduce LDL levels, lower cancer, and improve the digestive system.
10. Grape
A glass of grape juice can be your solution to high cholesterol. The grape is rich in plant compounds, antioxidants, and fibers, which do the following things:
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- Reduce LDL level
- Raise HDL cholesterol
- Reduce cellular damage
Diet to lower cholesterol
Following a proper diet is the best way to low high cholesterol. There are many meal plans that offer low LDL levels but not all of them work. Here are some of the most popular and effective low cholesterol diets for you:
- Vegetarian diet: This meal plan includes only plan based items and fruits. As there is no place for animal fat, the risk of heart disease is low. This diet is effective for both weight loss and lowering cholesterol.
- The Engine 2 Diet: The athletes and the firefighters follow a strict diet. There is a place for vegetables, whole grains, tofu, or soy milk. But no added sugar, cakes, or bakery goods are allowed.
- Mediterranean diet: According to the experts, the Mediterranean diet is the best for cholesterol reduction. This meal plan mainly focuses on vegetables, fruits, and fishes.
- Flexitarian diet: Flexitarian diet is mainly a vegetable-based diet but there is room for other items like healthy fats. You can also have low-fat dairy items like yogurt, cheese, etc.
- Mayo clinic diet: The mayo clinic diet has been designed for lowering LDL cholesterol. You need to choose healthy fats, soluble fiber rich foods, and avoid unhealthy fats, dairy, and bakery goods. Everyday exercise is also a part of this diet plan.
How to increase HDL cholesterol
HDL or the high-density lipoprotein is the good cholesterol. Raising it will keep your heart healthy. Here are some tips to increase the HDL cholesterol level:
- Use olive oil while preparing any dish.
- The ketogenic diet or low carb diets are preferable.
- If you have a smoking habit, then you have to quit.
- Add coconut oil to your meals.
- Eat sea fishes like salmon or tuna.
- Daily workout is recommended.
In this article, I have listed 10 foods that can lower LDL cholesterol. Following the instructions will help you stay healthy and physically fit.
