If you have ever heard the term LDL, this is our “bad” cholesterol. In some of the foods we buy at the store, they have two main ingredients in them that will cause our LDL levels to increase. One of the ingredients is a type of fat that is found mostly in foods that come from animals. It is saturated fat and the other is cholesterol, which primarily originates from animal products. On average, saturated fat is what causes unhealthy cholesterol levels in certain individuals.
Heart disease is caused by having high levels of LDL which is caused by consuming too much saturated fats and cholesterol. Reducing the amount of cholesterol and saturated fat in your diet is a crucial step towards reducing your blood cholesterol levels. Lowering your cholesterol can be as easy as taking a trip down the aisle at the grocery store. There are many foods that you can choose from that will help you to improve your cholesterol.
The absorption of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the “bad” cholesterol into your bloodstream is the main cause of having elevated cholesterol levels. By eating more soluble fiber, This will cause a reduction in your LDL levels. By eating 5 to 10 grams or more of soluble fiber per day can decrease your overall cholesterol levels. You won’t have to look very far when looking for sources of soluble fiber. Oatmeal is a great starting point. Soluble fiber is also found in foods like kidney beans, bananas, apples, pears, barley and prunes.
By eating one bowl of cooked oatmeal per day will provide you with six grams of fiber. One and a half cups is all you need to get your recommended intake. By adding fruits such as apples and bananas, you will add not only a different flavor to your meal but you will have added 4g of fiber as well. You can also add cold cereal made with oatmeal or oat bran to your menu of soluble fiber to eat.
Eating walnuts, almonds and other kinds of nuts are some snack ideas that will help to lower your cholesterol. These nuts are chalk-full of polyunsaturated fatty acids. If you are at the borderline of having heart disease, eating walnuts can help you push the line in your favor. They are not a cure-all but eating walnuts will help the situation. The Food and Drug Administration recommends eating about a (1.5 ounces, or 42.5 grams) a day of most nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine nuts, pistachio nuts and walnuts to lower your chances of being diagnosed with heart disease.
Nuts that are salted or coated with sugar should not be eaten in large amounts if at all. Since your overall goal is to improve your total cholesterol levels, limit yourself to just a handful of these nuts because they are high in calories. You should replace foods that are high in saturated fat with nuts. An easy way to do this is to eat a handful of walnuts or almonds instead of eating a bearclaw or a cream-filled eclair.
Adding fatty fish and omega-3 fatty acids to your diet will also reduce your cholesterol. Because of the high levels of omega-3 fatty acids found in certain fish, your risk of high blood pressure and the risk of developing blood clots is reduced. Omega-3 fatty acids can also benefit those who have already suffered from a heart attack by reducing their risk of sudden death.
Eating foods that have fish oil, or omega-3 fatty acids in them reduces the risk of sudden death. Two servings of fish a week is recommended to get the best results. For starters, you can add fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, salmon and halibut to your diet because these types of fish contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. In order to avoid adding unhealthy fat you should bake or grill the fish. If fish is not your thing, you can also get small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids from foods like ground flaxseed or canola oil.
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