Foods for Helping to Achieve a Lower Cholesterol Level

Jul 20
07:56

2011

Jim Haynes

Jim Haynes

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Everyone, men women both young and old, can suffer from high cholesterol or hypercholesterolemia. This in turn can lead to more serious problems like heart attack and stroke. and medications that can be recommended by your doctor are one of the solutions.

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Everyone can suffer from high cholesterol or hypercholesterolemia. Men and women,Foods for Helping to Achieve a Lower Cholesterol Level Articles young and old can suffer from high cholesterol that can result in more serious problems like heart attack and stroke. Medications that can be recommended by your doctor are one of the solutions. However, you may also take the initiative to change or improve your diet if you want to treat a high cholesterol level. There are many foods which can lower your cholesterol level.

Getting fiber is one of the keys to maintaining a low level of bad cholesterol or low density lipoproteins (LDL) in the body. Foods that are rich in fiber such as oatmeal and whole grains are advised to be taken daily. Oatmeal is rich in soluble fiber, a type of fiber that is helpful in lowering the level of bad cholesterol or LDL. Plus, it does not affect the level of good or high density lipoproteins (HDL). Having about five grams of soluble fiber can help reduce the level of bad cholesterol so make sure that you eat a bowl of oatmeal every day. Other foods that are rich in soluble fiber include fruits like apples and pears, vegetables especially beans, and kidneys of animals. They will surely help in preventing the thickening of the artery wall.

Cholesterol is commonly associated with fats. They cannot be totally removed from the body. But if you want healthy fats, you can consume nuts. They are also rich in fiber and can supply the body with antioxidants and vitamin E. Nuts supply unsaturated fats making it one of the groups of foods for a lower cholesterol level. Some of the best nuts that you can eat if you are dealing with a high cholesterol level are peanuts, walnuts and almonds. However, nuts also have high calorie content so you should watch your consumption. Nevertheless, they can be eaten as substitute for meats or can be eaten after a high fat meal. 

Protein and fatty acids are also good in lowering your cholesterol level. Thus, foods with omega 3 like fish are good foods for lower cholesterol. Foods with omega 3 fatty acids and protein will not only reduce your LDL level but will also increase the HDL level. The best sources of healthy fatty acids are salmon, mackerel and trout.

Meats have high level of cholesterol and if you want a low cholesterol diet, you may want to consider alternatives such as soy products. They have polyunsaturated fats. They can help reduce the bad cholesterol level a bit and they can supply the body with vitamins, minerals and fibers.

Lastly, yogurt is another type of food that can help people suffering from hypercholesterolemia. It prevents the bloodstream from absorbing the bad cholesterol, preventing blood clots and artery wall thickening.

Simply put, foods with unsaturated fat contents are great foods for a lower cholesterol diet. Plus, foods with antioxidants can also help lower the body’s bad cholesterol level and increase its good cholesterol level, which is necessary for manufacturing bile acids, hormones and cell membranes. The foods enumerated above can help in lowering cholesterol but your diet should not be limited to these foods. You can refer to informative and helpful courses about cholesterol to know more foods that are suitable for people who want to prevent or treat hypercholesterolemia.