[Lifestyle] 10 Tips to Lower Cholesterol

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High blood cholesterol levels are a known risk factor for heart disease.

For decades, people have been told that the dietary cholesterol in foods raises blood cholesterol levels and causes heart disease.

This idea may have been a rational conclusion based on the available science 50 years ago, but better, more recent evidence doesn’t support it.

This article takes a close look at the current research on dietary cholesterol and the role it plays in blood cholesterol levels and heart disease.

 

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that occurs naturally in your body.

Many people think that cholesterol is harmful, but the truth is that it’s essential for your body to function.

Cholesterol contributes to the membrane structure of every cell in your body.

Your body also needs it to make hormones and vitamin D, as well as perform various other important functions. Simply put, you could not survive without it.

Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs, but it also absorbs a relatively small amount of cholesterol from certain foods, such as eggs, meat, and full-fat dairy products.

 

 

 

Cholesterol and lipoproteins

When people talk about cholesterol in relation to heart health, they usually aren’t talking about cholesterol itself.

They are referring to lipoproteins — the structures that carry cholesterol in the bloodstream.

Lipoproteins are made of fat (lipid) on the inside and protein on the outside.

There are several kinds of lipoproteins, but the two most relevant to heart health are low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL).

 

10 Tips to Lower it:

 

1. Eat Foods Rich in Soluble Fiber

Soluble fiber is found in large quantities in beans, legumes, whole grains, flax, apples and citrus .

Humans lack the proper enzymes to break down soluble fiber, so it moves through your digestive tract, absorbing water and forming a thick paste.

As it travels, soluble fiber absorbs bile, a substance produced by your liver to help digest fats. Eventually, both the fiber and attached bile are excreted in your stool.

Bile is made from cholesterol, so when your liver needs to make more bile it pulls cholesterol out of your bloodstream, which lowers cholesterol levels naturally.

Regular soluble fiber consumption is associated with a 5–10% reduction in both total cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol in as little as four weeks.

It’s recommended to eat at least 5–10 grams of soluble fiber each day for the maximum cholesterol-lowering effects, but benefits have been seen at even lower intakes of 3 grams per day.

 

2.Enjoy Lots of fruits and vegetables.

Eating fruits and vegetables is an easy way to lower LDL cholesterol levels.

Studies show that adults who consume at least four servings of fruits and vegetables each day have roughly 6% lower LDL cholesterol levels than people who eat fewer than two servings per day.

3.

Cook with Herbs and Spices

Herbs and spices are nutritional powerhouses packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Human studies have shown that garlic, turmeric and ginger are especially effective at lowering cholesterol when eaten regularly.

In fact, eating just one garlic clove per day for three months is enough to lower total cholesterol by 9%.

In addition to lowering cholesterol, herbs and spices contain antioxidants that prevent LDL cholesterol from oxidizing, reducing the formation of plaques within your arteries.

4.

Eat a Variety of Unsaturated Fats

Two main kinds of fats are found in food: saturated and unsaturated.

On a chemical level, saturated fats contain no double bonds and are very straight, allowing them to pack together tightly and stay solid at room temperature.

Unsaturated fats contain at least one double bond and have a bent shape, preventing them from joining together as tightly. These attributes make them liquid at room temperature.

5.

Avoid Artificial Trans Fats

While trans fats occur naturally in red meat and dairy products, most people’s main source is artificial trans fat used in many restaurants and processed foods.

Artificial trans fats are produced by hydrogenating — or adding hydrogen to — unsaturated fats such as vegetable oils to change their structure and solidify them at room temperature.

Trans fats make a cheap alternative to natural saturated fats and have been widely used by restaurants and food manufacturers.

 

6.

Eat Fewer Added Sugars

It’s not just saturated and trans fats that can raise cholesterol levels. Eating too many added sugars can do the same thing.

One study found that adults who consumed 25% of their calories from drinks made with high-fructose corn syrup experienced a 17% increase in LDL cholesterol in just two weeks.

7.

Enjoy a Mediterranean-Style Diet

One of the easiest ways to incorporate the above lifestyle changes is to follow a Mediterranean-style diet.

Mediterranean diets are rich in olive oil, fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains and fish, and low in red meat and most dairy. Alcohol, usually in the form of red wine, is consumed in moderation with meals.

8.

Eat More Soy

Soybeans are rich in protein and contain isoflavones, plant-based compounds that are similar in structure to estrogen.

Research has found that soy protein and isoflavones have powerful cholesterol-lowering effects and can reduce your risk of heart disease.

9.

Drink Green Tea

Green tea is made by heating and drying the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant.

The tea leaves can be steeped in water to make brewed tea or ground into powder and mixed with liquid for matcha green tea.

10.Try cholesterol-lowering supplements.