Super Foods to Keep LDL Cholesterol Low
16-08-2015 | Posted By: Admin | 2731 View(s)
LDL Cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein is tainted as the bad cholesterol. It is responsible for many health-related menaces- from blocked blood veins to heart strokes to some more. There are many reasons for which a person can be affected by LDL cholesterol. Among them, some are-
• The sex of the person
• The body mass
• Heredity
• A stressful lifestyle and unhealthy diet
• Ethnic group, he/she, belongs to
• Medical history of that person
A controlled lifestyle, nutritious diet and regular workout are highly essential to curb down the effect of LDL bad cholesterol. Having a nutritious diet is the most important of all to reduce LDL Cholesterol Level. Our natural habitat offers many fantastic food elements that are remedies, which can cure LDL. You just need to do some homework to find out more about them.
Below is a list of foods that can help to reduce LDL Cholesterol
• Olive Oil
Many consider olive oil as the latest diet fad. But in truth, this is the wonderful gift from Mother Nature which must be cherished in your day to day life. You may stir-fry your vegetables with olive oil, cook your favourite brand of pasta in it or roast chicken. Most importantly, olive oil is the apt salad dressing that will never add to your body bulk. So instead of hunting down packaged salad dressings in supermarkets, invest upon a bottle of extra-virgin olive oil. The monounsaturated fat that is available in olive oil decreases the level of LDL cholesterol.
• Fish
Baked, steamed, sautéed or gravy- having fish in your daily diet reduces LDL cholesterol up to 4%. But you have to pick up your fish carefully. Salmon, Sardine, herring, mackerel are some of the fish that are abundant sources of Omega-3 fatty acids. Include them in your cooking on a regular basis and get yourself rid of not only bad cholesterol but also from- dementia, coronary disease to name a few.
• Red Grapes/ Wine
Having freshly picked red grapes or sipping high-quality red wine has the same effect on LDL cholesterol. There is a highly effective element called Tempranillo that can be found in red grapes in abundance. The same ingredient is evident in wines that are made from red grapes. Having red wine in moderation on a daily basis may lower down your LDL up to 9%.
• Veggies & Fruits
Green, leafy veggies like spinach, fibre-rich veggie beans and the superfruit avocado are some of the remedies for decreasing LDL cholesterol. Spinach is full of wonder-pigment Lutein. It helps the artery walls from getting blockages. Having spinach salad or smoothie would be the ultimate choice if you otherwise hate this vegetable. Similarly, fibres in beans slow down the cholesterol rate- so you may well dig into delicious bean soup every day. Lastly, avocado has essential beta-sitosterol fat that lessens amalgamation.
• Nuts
Nuts are considered to be very good for lowering cholesterol levels and is recommended.
Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat which is supposed to be good for heart health. Almonds and nuts are known to be rich in L-arginine, an amino acid that helps your body make nitric oxide which in turn helps to regulate blood pressure. Nuts also provide phytosterols which can help lower cholesterol by blocking its absorption in the intestines.
•Dark Chocolate and Cocoa
Cocoa is the main ingredient in dark chocolate. Research shows that dark chocolate and cocoa can lower “bad” LDL cholesterol
However, chocolate has high in added sugar which can negatively affect heart health so it is advisable to use cocoa alone or choose dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 75–85% or higher.
•Whole Grains — Oats and Barley
Oats contains beta-glucan, a type of soluble fibre that helps lower cholesterol. It is presumed that eating Oats can lower total cholesterol by up to 5% and “bad” LDL cholesterol by 7% (Source). Barley is also rich in beta-glucans and can help lower “bad” LDL cholesterol.
•Tea
The Two primary beneficial compounds in Tea are Catechins which helps to activate nitric oxide which regulates healthy blood pressure and also inhibits cholesterol synthesis and absorption and help prevent blood clots wheres Quercetin helps to improve blood vessel function and lower inflammation
•Soybeans
Soybeans too are said to have a positive effect on lowering Bad Cholesterol levels.
•Whole Grains — Oats and Barley
Oats contains beta-glucan, a type of soluble fibre that helps lower cholesterol. It is presumed that eating Oats can lower total cholesterol by up to 5% and “bad” LDL cholesterol by 7% (Source). Barley is also rich in beta-glucans and can help lower “bad” LDL cholesterol.
Apart from the above-mentioned foods (and one beverage) – tea, chocolate, nuts and garlic are considered to be the nourishing components that fight off LDL cholesterol.