Many people are concerned about getting their cholesterol level down – and rightfully so. High levels of LDL cholesterol are a risk factor for heart disease. When LDL cholesterol levels are very high, medications may be the only solution. On the other hand, there are foods that can lower LDL cholesterol levels by up to 20%, and that amount of reduction can make a dent in your heart disease risk. Here are four types of foods to add to your grocery cart that reduce LDL cholesterol levels.
Plant Sterols
Plant sterols are found naturally in nuts, seeds, grains, and vegetables, but food manufacturers have gone a step further and added them to foods such as margarine, cereals and orange juice. You can even buy dark chocolate bars with added plant sterols. How do they work? They lower LDL cholesterol by blocking its absorption by the intestines.
In one study where diabetics used sterol-enhanced margarine on their bread in place of regular margarine, their LDL cholesterol levels dropped by about 27%. Non-diabetics also experienced an LDL drop of around 15%. Although plant sterols have the potential to lower cholesterol, read labels carefully. Some of the margarine’s that contain them also have trans-fat. That’s not a good trade-off.
Soy Foods
Soy foods such as tofu, tempeh, miso, and soymilk modestly lower cholesterol level, although exactly how they do so is unknown. In 1999, the FDA issued a statement that 25 grams of soy protein a day in conjunction with a low-fat diet can lower the risk of heart disease. The healthiest forms of soy are fermented ones such as miso and tempeh since they contain probiotics that keep your digestive tract and immune system healthy. Plus, soy helps to improve bone density and ward off osteoporosis.
To get your daily soy, enjoy a cup of miso soup or a tempeh burger rather than a meat-based one. Add soymilk to your cereal in the morning. The Japanese enjoy soy at almost every meal, and they have a low risk of heart disease and other chronic diseases. Take a lesson from them.
Fiber-Rich Foods
If you want to see your cholesterol go down along with your risk of heart disease, add more foods rich in soluble fiber to your diet. Soluble fiber reduces the absorption of cholesterol from the intestines so less of it enters the bloodstream.
The way to get more soluble fiber is to enjoy more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes. These are natural sources of soluble fiber. The fiber has been stripped out of processed foods, so switching to a whole food diet will increase the amount of soluble fiber in your diet naturally.
Start the day out right with a bowl of oatmeal. Oats contain one of the highest levels of soluble fiber to keep your LDL cholesterol down and lower your risk of heart disease.
Almonds
In one study, a serving of almonds each day lowered LDL cholesterol by a full 10%. Not too shabby. The cholesterol-lowering benefits of almonds come partially from the monounsaturated fats they contain. In addition, they’re a good source of vitamin E, an antioxidant vitamin, and flavonoids that prevent oxidation of LDL cholesterol, a major factor in heart disease and heart attacks. To get the most benefits, eat almonds with the skin still on them. Skinless almonds have fewer heart-healthy flavonoids.
The Bottom Line?
What you eat has an impact on your cholesterol level and your risk of heart disease. Substitute some of these cholesterol-lowering foods for processed foods in your diet to lower your LDL cholesterol, and keep your heart healthy.
References:
WebMD. “Plant Sterols May Help to Lower Cholesterol”
Medicinenet.com. “Diet for Lowering Cholesterol: Soy Beats Low-Fat”
Nutraingredients.com. “Diet for Lowering Cholesterol”
World’s Healthiest Foods website.
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