Foods that Help to Lower Cholesterol
Foods that Help to Lower Cholesterol Naturally
Maybe your doctor has encouraged you to change to a diet to lower cholesterol or maybe you’re simply looking to make better food choices to support heart health before problems occur. While you may already know that cholesterol occurs naturally in foods like red meat and eggs, there are also foods that help to lower your cholesterol naturally and, not only are they good for you, but they’re readily available and easy to add to just about any diet.
HDL and LDL Cholesterol
Cholesterol in our bodies comes from two primary sources: natural production by the liver and animal products like meat, dairy and eggs. Cholesterol plays a vital role in digesting fat, hormone production and the formation of Vitamin D in the skin. Your cholesterol level is an indicator of how much fat is being carried in your blood.
Having high total cholesterol, or low levels of HDL cholesterol (known as good cholesterol) in combination with high levels of LDL cholesterol (known as bad cholesterol), puts people at increased risk for developing heart disease. Technically, HDL and LDL are lipoproteins that transport cholesterol throughout the body; HDL delivers it to the liver for elimination, but LDL sticks to the walls of your arteries, compromising blood flow.
Obvious dietary changes that support healthy cholesterol levels include reducing the amount of animal products you consume, but you can do more than just reduce your intake of cholesterol—you can also consume foods that naturally lower it. The following foods all contain cholesterol-fighting properties that raise your HDL, lower or your LDL or both.
Oatmeal
Slow-cooked oatmeal, not instant, is one of the first foods the FDA endorsed for its cholesterol-lowering abilities. While you’ll need to eat a sizable portion—3/4 of cup—the fiber content in oatmeal not only helps move cholesterol through the body, it fills you up providing the added benefit of supporting any weight loss goals you may have. Try having a bowl of slow-cooked oatmeal for breakfast with blueberries, almonds or flaxseed to start your day.
