Tips for Healthy Eating to Reduce Cholesterol | Health | Fitness
It has long been understood that altering your diet might help reduce cholesterol. Living a healthy lifestyle could involve not using cholesterol medication, or using it less frequently.
What is a cholesterol?
Foods derived from animals, such as meat, eggs, and dairy products, include the fatty compound cholesterol.
For regular bodily functions, cholesterol is necessary. It is utilised to create vital nutrients (like vitamin D) and hormones (like testosterone and oestrogen) and is present in all of our cell membranes. The importance of cholesterol is such that our bodies can produce enough of it on their own. On the other hand, excessive cholesterol might cause health issues.
The body contains two primary forms of cholesterol:
Because it lowers blood cholesterol levels and guards against heart disease, HDL cholesterol is referred to as "good" cholesterol.
Because LDL cholesterol can accumulate in blood vessels and raise the risk of heart disease, it is referred to as "bad" cholesterol.
For regular bodily functions, cholesterol is necessary. It is utilised to create vital nutrients (like vitamin D) and hormones (like testosterone and oestrogen) and is present in all of our cell membranes. The importance of cholesterol is such that our bodies can produce enough of it on their own. On the other hand, excessive cholesterol might cause health issues.
The body contains two primary forms of cholesterol:
Because it lowers blood cholesterol levels and guards against heart disease, HDL cholesterol is referred to as "good" cholesterol.
Because LDL cholesterol can accumulate in blood vessels and raise the risk of heart disease, it is referred to as "bad" cholesterol.
Generally speaking, your chances of avoiding heart disease and other chronic diseases are higher the higher your HDL cholesterol and lower your LDL cholesterol.
Luckily, you can enhance your cholesterol profile with a few easy dietary changes.
Luckily, you can enhance your cholesterol profile with a few easy dietary changes.
How to Lower Your Cholesterol Levels With Food
1. Choose healthy fats
Food has two primary types of fats: unsaturated and saturated.
Because unsaturated fats lower LDL cholesterol, they are considered "healthy," whereas saturated fats raise LDL cholesterol. Trans fats are an exception to this general trend, as they lower HDL cholesterol and raise LDL cholesterol despite being unsaturated.
According to research, you can lower your risk of heart disease and improve your cholesterol profile by substituting healthy fats for bad ones. Find out more about saturated fats, the myths around them, and their connection to heart disease.
Because unsaturated fats lower LDL cholesterol, they are considered "healthy," whereas saturated fats raise LDL cholesterol. Trans fats are an exception to this general trend, as they lower HDL cholesterol and raise LDL cholesterol despite being unsaturated.
According to research, you can lower your risk of heart disease and improve your cholesterol profile by substituting healthy fats for bad ones. Find out more about saturated fats, the myths around them, and their connection to heart disease.
2. Eat foods high in soluble fibre
One kind of fibre present in plant-based foods is soluble fibre. Soluble fibre has the ability to bind cholesterol in the colon and eliminate it from the body since it is not absorbed there. Fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes all contain it.
In addition to increasing your intake of fibre foods, make sure you stay hydrated to avoid constipation.
In addition to increasing your intake of fibre foods, make sure you stay hydrated to avoid constipation.
3. Try plant sterol-enriched foods
Up to 10% less LDL cholesterol can be absorbed from the gut when plant sterols actively fight with cholesterol for absorption. It is quite difficult to obtain the recommended two to three grammes per day without enhanced meals because they are only available in trace amounts in plant-based diets.Two to three grammes of plant sterols are equal to:
Two drugs that decrease cholesterol Eat at least two fruits and five vegetables a day, especially yellow and orange ones, to make sure you are getting enough antioxidants in your diet. Weet-Bix, one tablespoon of enriched margarine (such as Flora ProActiv), or 500 mL of Dairy Farmers Heart Active plant sterols may also lower the level of carotenoids (beneficial antioxidants) in your blood.
Is there any other method to lower my cholesterol except through diet?
Although food is the most effective strategy to lower cholesterol, other lifestyle changes can also be beneficial!
Losing 5–10% of your body weight can lower your total and LDL cholesterol and raise your HDL cholesterol if you are overweight.
Exercise: You can lower your cholesterol by aiming for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity most days. Consider increasing the number of steps you take each day to start!
Giving up smoking reduces HDL, or good, cholesterol. It is imperative to give up smoking in order to lower your risk of heart disease and stroke, particularly if you have elevated cholesterol.
Losing 5–10% of your body weight can lower your total and LDL cholesterol and raise your HDL cholesterol if you are overweight.
Exercise: You can lower your cholesterol by aiming for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity most days. Consider increasing the number of steps you take each day to start!
Giving up smoking reduces HDL, or good, cholesterol. It is imperative to give up smoking in order to lower your risk of heart disease and stroke, particularly if you have elevated cholesterol.
Q&A
Q1: What are some foods high in soluble fiber that can help lower cholesterol levels?
A: Foods high in soluble fiber include oats, barley, beans, lentils, fruits like apples and citrus fruits, vegetables like Brussels sprouts and carrots, and seeds such as flaxseeds and chia seeds.
Q2: How does incorporating more omega-3 fatty acids into your diet contribute to reducing cholesterol?
A: Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, and trout, can help lower triglycerides and increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels, which can contribute to a healthier lipid profile.
Q3: Is it beneficial to replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats in your diet for managing cholesterol levels? If so, what are some examples of foods high in unsaturated fats?
A: Yes, replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats, such as those found in olive oil, avocado, nuts (like almonds, walnuts, and pistachios), and seeds, can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Q4: How does limiting trans fats intake contribute to a heart-healthy diet?
A: Trans fats raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and lower HDL (good) cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heart disease. Avoiding or minimizing intake of trans fats, commonly found in processed foods, fried foods, and baked goods made with partially hydrogenated oils, supports heart health and helps manage cholesterol levels.
Q5: What role do plant sterols and stanols play in lowering cholesterol, and what are some sources of these compounds?
A: Plant sterols and stanols are compounds that block the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines, thereby reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. They are found naturally in small amounts in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, but they are also added to certain fortified foods like margarine and orange juice for cholesterol-lowering benefits.
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