Low cholesterol foodEating more fiber-rich foods may help to lower your blood cholesterol level. A certain type of dietary fiber, called soluble fiber, may help lower cholesterol levels by sweeping cholesterol out of the body before it gets into the bloodstream. Foods rich in soluble fiber include oat bran, dried beans and peas, some fruits, and psyllium seeds (the main ingredient in Metamucil, a fiber supplement). Beta-glucan, a soluble fiber found in many whole grains, came exclusively from barley and not supplements. The diet with the most beta-glucan used barley flakes, barley flour, and pearled barley instead of rice and wheat. Lower levels of beta-glucan mixed equal measures of barley with wheat or rice.
Eat a fiber rich breakfast such as oatmeal, whole grain muffins, fruit. Foods high in soluble fiber are very helpful in lowering cholesterol levels, especially LDL. Brown rice bran and oat bran are particularly useful. Breakfast is a great opportunity to bulk up on dietary fiber and studies indicate that skipping breakfast is significantly associated with high cholesterol levels. Consuming products, such as breakfast cereals, that contain soluble fiber from psyllium seeds may be a very effective way to control cholesterol levels. Combining a psyllium-enriched cereal with a whole-oat cereal may be an even more effective cholesterol-lowering strategy. Go for cereals containing five grams or more of fiber per serving. Oat bran and rice bran are the most effective. A particular type of fiber, soluble fiber, is the type to include. Soluble fiber appears to help bile acids, which are made up of cholesterol, pass through your system as waste, meaning your body absorbs less cholesterol. Soluble fiber is found in oats, legumes, and many fruits and vegetables such as apples, pears,oranges, carrots. To increase your intake of fiber, first remember to go slowly to give your system time to adjust.
Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. One at breakfast, one veggie (e.g. carrot sticks, tomato slices) and one fruit (e.g. orange sections, apple) at lunch and at dinner, one salad and one cooked vegetable. Choose the whole fruit with skin included, instead of the juice. Juice is the fruit with all the fiber removed. Eat legumes at least three times a week. Try bean soup, cold bean salad, humus sandwich, black bean dip, toasted soy beans for snacking. Soy protein is especially effective, so be sure to include plenty. Even soy milk, tofu and textured soy protein are good. Eating grapes may help reduce LDL cholesterol levels, due in part to the flavonoid content of their skins. Orange juice, too, is high in flavonoids, and recent studies suggest that consuming approximately three glasses of orange juice a day may increase your HDL (the "good" cholesterol) levels. Some orange juice products are also enriched with cholesterol-reducing fiber. Polyunsaturates and monounsaturates can help lower cholesterol, so it's sensible to swap foods high in saturates for more foods rich in unsaturates. Good sources of polyunsaturates include pure vegetable oils and spreads such as sunflower, corn, grapeseed and soya oils and margarines and some vegetables, while good sources of monounsaturates include olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds.
Soy products are also linked to reduced cholesterol because of their isoflavone content. The FDA recently approved a health claim label for soy products containing soy protein, which states that daily consumption of as little as 25 grams of soy protein per day has been shown to lower cholesterol in people who have high cholesterol levels. Another food in the arsenal against cholesterol is garlic. Cooked or raw garlic both contain compounds that help lower your liver's production of cholesterol. Studies show that individuals who eat large amounts of both garlic and onions have lower cholesterol levels. Chili peppers, shiitake mushrooms, and artichokes have also been shown to help lower cholesterol levels. In a small study involving shiitake, healthy women who ate about 2/3 cup (approximately 3 oz) of fresh shiitake for a week experienced a drop in cholesterol by 9% to 12%. Carrots may lower cholesterol, possibly due to their calcium pectate (a soluble fiber) content. A recent government study showed a significant decrease in cholesterol among subjects who ate 1 cup of carrots per day. On average, participants experienced an 11% drop in blood cholesterol after only 3 weeks.
Eat plenty of foods that contain the natural antioxidants -- vitamins A and C. Vitamin C-rich foods include: sweet red peppers, cantaloupe, sweet green peppers, papaya, oranges, grapefruit juice, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and strawberries. Vitamin E-rich foods include: sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, wheat germ, soybeans, wheat germ oil, soybean oil. Foods high in omega-3 fatty acids including flaxseed oil, may protect against high cholesterol. Foods containing vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, pantethine (active form of vitamin B5--pantothenic acid), chromium, and copper may have cholesterol-lowering properties. Foods rich in lycopenes may be useful in moderating cholesterol levels.
More information on cholesterolWhat is cholesterol? - Cholesterol is a steroid lipid, found in the cell membranes of all body tissues, and transported in the blood plasma, of all animals.
What is LDL cholesterol? - Low-density lipoprotein (or "bad") cholesterol carries the largest amount of cholesterol in the blood and is responsible for depositing cholesterol in the artery walls. An elevated LDL cholesterol level is associated with a greater risk of heart disease.
Why is LDL cholesterol considered "bad"? - When too much LDL cholesterol circulates in the blood, it can slowly build up in the inner walls of the arteries that feed the heart and brain.
What is HDL cholesterol? - High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is one of several types of fats and is measured as 'Total Cholesterol'. HDL is thought to pick up cholesterol from body tissues and bring it back to the liver for reprocessing or excretion.
Why is HDL cholesterol considered "good"? - Because HDL clears cholesterol out of the system and high levels of it are associated with a decreased risk of heart disease, HDL is often called "good" cholesterol.
How to raise HDL Cholesterol (good cholesterol)? - Regular aerobic exercise, loss of excess weight (fat), and cessation of cigarette smoking cigarettes will increase HDL cholesterol levels.
How cholesterol is measured and tested? - Cholesterol is measured in units called millimoles per litre of blood, usually shortened to "mmol/litre" or "mmol/l".
What're the cholesterol readings? - Cholesterol readings you receive from your medical provider generally include total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and high density lipoproteins cholesterol levels.
How often should my cholesterol be checked? - According to a new set of national guidelines governing cholesterol measurement and treatment, it is recommended that the level be treated every 5 years.
What causes high cholesterol? - High cholesterol is caused by eating a diet that is high in saturated fats and cholesterol. Some people, however, have an inherited disorder in which the body cannot properly metabolize cholesterol.
What are the high cholesterol risk factors? - A diet high in certain types of fats is one factor. Medical problems such as poorly controlled diabetes, an underactive thyroid gland, an overactive pituitary gland, liver disease or kidney failure also may cause high cholesterol levels.
What're the symptoms of high cholesterol? - People with severely elevated cholesterol may have fat deposits in tendons and skin, liver and spleen enlargement, and abdominal pain if pancreatitis develops.
What are triglycerides? - Triglycerides are another type of fat that is associated with adverse health consequences. Many patients with high cholesterol also have high triglycerides.
How to test triglycerides? - For triglycerides testing, blood is drawn from a vein in the arm. A vein at the inside of the elbow or on the back of the hand is usually selected.
How can LDL cholesterol levels be lowered? - Lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol involves losing excess weight, exercising regularly, and following a diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
How to reduce cholesterol with dietary therapy? - A low-fat, low-cholesterol diet is desired to keep your total fat consumption--saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated--to fewer than 30 percent of your daily intake of calories.
What about when I go out to eat? - Avoid fried foods. Entrees covered with sauces, as well as creamy dressing, thick soups and casseroles should be avoided because they are usually rich in fat. Look for items labeled "heart-healthy" on the menu.
What cholesterol medications are available to lower cholesterol? - Cholesterol-reducing drugs include cholestyramine (Questran), colestipol (Colestid), gemfibrozil (Lopid), lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol) and simvastatin (Zocor).
What nutritional supplements are available to reduce cholesterol? - Artichoke is particularly helpful in relieving gastrointestinal problems that result from an inability to adequately process fats. Garlic assists the heart for centuries and has been used in herbal medicines for all manner of conditions.
What cholesterol lowering food are there? - Eating more fiber-rich foods may help to lower your blood cholesterol level. Soy products are also linked to reduced cholesterol because of their isoflavone content.