10 Cholesterol Lowering Foods: List Of Harvard Health Experts To Beat LDL, Fat, Triglycerides, Save The Heart

We’ve all heard of the bad guy in heart health stories – bad cholesterol. Some of the cholesterol is created by our body. The rest, we add it through what we eat.

Not all foods contain cholesterol. Indeed, certain foods have the ability to reduce the cholesterol content in our blood. Different foods lower cholesterol in different ways. Some provide soluble fiber, which binds cholesterol and its precursors in the digestive system and carries them out of the body before they are put into circulation. Some give you polyunsaturated fats, which directly lower LDL. And some contain plant sterols and stanols, which prevent the body from absorbing cholesterol, according to a Harvard Medical School article.

If you want to make changes in your diet to gain the correct HDL-to-LDL ratio so that your cardiovascular health remains intact, be sure to add the following 11 items to your diet.

1. Oats: Substitute a bowl of oatmeal or cold oatmeal cereal like Cheerios for breakfast with one banana or strawberries for another. This will give you almost 3 grams of soluble dietary fiber. The main type of soluble fiber in oats is beta-glucan (β-glucan), which has been studied to help slow digestion, increase satiety, and suppress appetite. Beta-glucan can bind to cholesterol-rich bile acids in the intestine and transport them through the digestive tract and eventually out of the body. Current nutritional guidelines recommend consuming 20 to 35 grams of fiber per day, including at least 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber.
2. Barley and other whole grains: Like oats and oat bran, barley and other whole grains can help reduce the risk of heart disease, primarily through the soluble fiber they provide. Among whole grains, barley is one of the best sources of fiber. One cup of pearl barley contains 6 grams of fiber and only 193 calories. You should also check out other high fiber foods from the whole grain family such as quinoa, kamut, or teff.
3. Beans: If you want to keep hunger at bay for longer, beans should be part of your diet. Beans are particularly rich in soluble fiber. Because beans take a long time to be digested by the body, you feel fuller for longer after a meal, which helps you in your efforts to lose weight. You can choose any variety from the bean family – white and kidney beans with lentils, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, and more. Plus, you won’t get bored as there are so many ways to cook this variety of foods.
4. Eggplant and okra: Maybe you grew up calling them brinjal and ladyfinger or bhindi. These two low-calorie vegetables are good sources of soluble fiber. Most Indian households use them regularly to be served with roti and chappati, or as a sambhar or stew. Sweet potato, eggplant, broccoli, and prunes are also good options.
5. Nuts: According to heartuk.co.uk, nuts are a good source of unsaturated fat and contain less saturated fat, a mixture that can help control your cholesterol. Eating 2 ounces of nuts a day can lower LDL slightly, on the order of 5 percent. Numerous studies have proven that nuts contain fiber which can help block the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream from the gut, as well as protein, vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, natural plant sterols. and other plant nutrients that help keep your body healthy.
6. Fruits: Apples, grapes, strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, avocados, papaya – these fruits are high in pectin, a type of soluble fiber that lowers LDL.
7. Vegetable oils: Animal fats and oils contain cholesterol. In contrast, canola oil, for example, which is derived from rapeseed, contains the “good fats” as opposed to other highly refined and processed oils. It also doesn’t contain cholesterol and is actually rich in vitamins like E and K. The Harvard article recommends the use of liquid vegetable oils such as canola, sunflower, safflower and others. place butter, lard or shortening when cooking. or at the table helps reduce LDL.
8. Soy: Eating soy and foods made from it, like tofu and soy milk, was once touted as a powerful way to lower cholesterol. Analyzes show that the effect is more modest. According to the Mayo Clinic, although consuming soy foods may slightly lower your low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol, the American Heart Association has concluded that soy does not reduce significantly cholesterol. But it’s a good idea to replace an animal-based diet with soy foods, as the latter contain less saturated fat than meat and also provide other beneficial nutrients, such as good fats (fatty acids). monounsaturated), vitamins, minerals and fiber.
9. Oily fish: According to the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, the strongest evidence of a beneficial effect of omega-3 fatty acids is linked to heart disease. These fats seem to help the heart beat at a steady rate and not fall into a dangerous or potentially fatal erratic rhythm. The report states that omega-3 fats also lower blood pressure and heart rate, improve blood vessel function, and in higher doses, lower triglycerides and may alleviate inflammation, which plays a role in development. of atherosclerosis.
10. Fiber supplements: Supplements offer the least appealing way to get soluble fiber, according to the Harvard Health Publishing report. Two teaspoons per day of psyllium, found in bulking laxatives, provides about 4 grams of soluble fiber. But for those who have a hard time getting food from it naturally, this is a good option.

Additional tips for beating cholesterol:

Continue to toggle between the options above. Eat a wide variety of foods that are low in cholesterol over a period of time. A largely vegetarian “diet portfolio of cholesterol-lowering foods” dramatically lowers LDL, triglycerides and blood pressure. You can continue with the statin pill recommended by the doctor. But switching to a cholesterol-lowering diet is a “natural” way to lower cholesterol, and it avoids the risk of muscle problems and other side effects that plague some people who take statins.

Equally important, a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, beans and nuts is good for the body beyond lowering cholesterol. It keeps blood pressure under control. It helps the arteries to stay flexible and responsive. It’s good for bones and digestive health, eyesight, and mental health.

Disclaimer: The tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or healthcare professional if you have specific questions about a medical problem.