Cholesterol level in your body can be influenced by the food you eat. Food can elevate your cholesterol level and help you to prevent the same. Let us look at food items which can help you to prevent cholesterol elevation
Fruits like grapes and strawberries can help in preventing cholesterol level elevation
HIGHLIGHTS
- Cholesterol level in control is beneficial for your heart
- Whole grains like barley and oats are helpful for cholesterol control
- Go for vegetable oils like canola oil, sunflower oil
People try to reduce consumption of fast food as they are scared of cholesterol level elevation. But what exactly is this cholesterol which people try to keep in control? In simple terms, cholesterol is a waxy substance found in blood, which is required by the body to build healthy cells. Elevation of cholesterol level (hyperlipidemia) can result to deposition of fat in your blood vessels. This can increase the risk of heart diseases. Cholesterol level can be altered by the food you opt for. While there are foods which can significantly increase your cholesterol level, there are foods which can help you to prevent cholesterol elevation as well. Let's look at these 9 foods which can help you with cholesterol control and reduction.
Also read: Here's Why You Have High Cholesterol: Tips To Keep It Under Control, Prevent Heart Disease
Foods which can help you with cholesterol level control:
1. Oats: A bowl of oatmeal like Kellogg's Muesli for breakfast provides around one to two grams of soluble fibre. Out of the recommended 25-30 grams of fibre per day, 5-10 grams of fibre comes from soluble fibre.
2. Barley and other whole grains: Just like the oatmeal you go for, whole grains like barley, quinoa can also provide the soluble fibre, which can further reduce risk of heart diseases.
3. Okra and eggplant: If you're looking for good sources of soluble fibre and low-calories, then eggplant and okra are the two vegetables that can help you.
4. Beans: From your favourite kidney beans to black-eyed peas, beans are a versatile rich source of soluble fibre. You will feel full for a longer time, as the body takes a while to digest these beans.
Beans are a rich source of soluble fibre
Photo Credit: iStock
Also read: Here's How Bad Cholesterol Enters The Walls Of Artery And Make It Narrow
5. Nuts: Go for nuts like walnuts, peanuts, almonds as they are good for your heart. Go for 2 ounces of nuts every day, as they can slightly lower LDL (bad cholesterol). There are other additional nutrients in nuts that protects the heart in other ways.
6. Fruits: Juicy apples, strawberries, grapes and other citric fruits are rich in pectin (a soluble fibre which can decrease LDL level).
7. Soy: Your nutrela soya-beans and soya-chunks, soy foods like tofu and soy milk, can lower cholesterol levels by 5-6%
8. Vegetable oils: Your canola oil, sunflower oil can be a healthy choice to cook your food instead of butter as they can help you to lower LDL level.
9. Fatty fish: Eating fatty fishes like salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel 2-3 times a week can help in LDL reduction in two ways:
a. Delivering LDL-lowering omega-3 fats. Triglyceride is a fat found in your blood. Omega-3s can reduce triglycerides in the bloodstream plus protect the heart by preventing onset of abnormal heart rhythms.
b. Replacing meat, which has LDL-boosting saturated fats
Other ways through which you can prevent cholesterol elevation:
1. Weight loss: Cholesterol level can increase with weight gain. Similarly, weight loss can prevent cholesterol elevation. Use stairs instead of lift, drink water instead of sugary beverages.
2. Quit smoking: Cigarette smoking can influence your cholesterol level. By quitting smoking, HDL level can improve, with immediate results starting from the day you quit smoking.
3. Exercise: Play your favourite sport, go out for a brisk walk. Exercises can increase the level of HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol).
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information
DoctorNDTV is the one stop site for all your health needs providing the most credible health information, health news and tips with expert advice on healthy living, diet plans, informative videos etc. You can get the most relevant and accurate info you need about health problems like diabetes, cancer, pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, weight loss and many other lifestyle diseases. We have a panel of over 350 experts who help us develop content by giving their valuable inputs and bringing to us the latest in the world of healthcare.
