Foods that Lower Cholesterol
Do you or someone you know have high cholesterol? If so, listen up! High cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, it is estimated that one in four Canadians has some form of heart disease or disease of the blood vessels. Read on as Truestar tells you which foods to add to your diet to help lower cholesterol.
Try adding these foods to your diet to help lower your cholesterol:
Beans, peas and lentils: These foods are rich in soluble fiber and help regulate your body¡¯s production and elimination of cholesterol. Other foods rich in soluble fiber include apples, oats, barley and carrots.
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Soy: Soy is a protein-rich bean.It is believed that natural soy compounds, called isoflavones, act like human hormones which regulate cholesterol levels. You should eat about 25 grams of soy protein per day for its cholesterol-lowering benefits. Try adding soy burgers, ground soy, soy yogurts, tofu, tempeh, texturized soy protein, soy nuts or soymilk to your diet.
Fish: Fish contain high concentrations of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids that help lower blood cholesterol levels and protect against high levels of ¡°bad¡± cholesterol. Omega-3 rich fish include salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, tuna and halibut. Other sources of omega-3 fats include flaxseed, nuts such as walnuts or almonds, omega-3 enriched eggs and canola oil. See Opt for Omega-3 for more information. You can also take a high quality fish oil supplement to ensure you get your omega-3 fats.
Olive oil: Olive oil is a rich source of monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats help lower LDL (low-density lipoprotein) or ¡°bad¡± cholesterol and raise HDL (high-density lipoprotein) or ¡°good¡± cholesterol. Monounsaturated fats are found in avocados, olives, canola oil, peanut oil, cashews, almonds and in most other nuts.
Flaxseed: Flaxseed is a good source of protein and soluble fiber and is a leading source of omega-3 fatty acids. Flaxseed also contains beneficial compounds known as lignans that protect against heart disease by lowering total and LDL cholesterol levels. Add two or three tablespoons of ground flaxseed to smoothies, yogurt, cereal and baked goods.
Garlic: Research has shown that adding garlic to your diet can help lower cholesterol levels. Cooked or raw garlic contains compounds called allin and allicin that are believed to interfere with the metabolism of cholesterol in the liver and that also lower the amount of cholesterol released into the bloodstream.
Foods rich in vitamins C and E: These two antioxidants help fight high cholesterol. Leading sources of vitamin C include cabbage, strawberries, kiwi, potatoes, peppers and oranges. Foods rich in vitamin E include broccoli, avocados, peanuts, sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, almonds and mangos.
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