Sometimes could be confusing to understand what food to choose to lower your cholesterol level so here a detailed list that can help you with plus practical tips for the long term.
- Food with added sterols and stanols
This plant based compound has the effect of blocking the cholesterol and this will directly lower the levels
Don't think about this chemical as something not natural because is actually contained in some fruits and vegetables but sometimes is just not enough
Nowadays there are different brands that offer this in their products like:
yogurt, milk and butter to mention a few, usually it's clearly stated on the package if there is any of this compound added in their products
Just make sure to read the labels to make sure that has stanols/sterols
Note: not recommended for pregnant women or if you are taking Ezetimide because this medication works in a similar way
- Unsaturated fats
Because saturated fats are one of the first thing to reduce on the other hand choosing the unsaturated one is the best alternative to use, some examples are:
- Olive oil
- Canola oil
- Sunflower or rapeseed oil
- Nuts and seeds
- Oily fish
This can help to reduce the Trans fat used to preserve and store food but also contributing on increasing the LDL cholesterol
- Fruit and Vegetables
It's easy to think about this to improve your diet but keep in mind that cholesterol only comes from animal sources which means that fruits and vegetables will never have any of it.
This will help increasing SOLUBLE FIBRES which reduces the absorption of cholesterol
Here some ideas:
- Quinoa
- Chickpeas
- Avocados
- Blueberries
- Okra
- Brussels sprouts
- Oats and Barley
Among all the grains these are two of the highest in Beta-Glucan which helps to lower the cholesterol by reducing the absorption in our bodies
It can be consumed as:
- Porridge
- Oat drink/milk
- Cereal for breakfast type
- Oatcakes
- Soya food
In this case the reason is to use this as a substitute instead of high cholesterol food since soya has many different options like:
- Soya based milk or yogurt
- Soya mince
- Tofu
- Dark chocolate and tea
The compounds contained are another help to reduced the cholesterol levels so when they are not mixed with much of sugars or other ingredients they can be a really good alternative as a small snack or when feeling peckish.
Practical tips:
- When eating out
Try if possible to choose the vegetarian or vegan option sometimes
Especially if you have to eat out often
The main reason is because cholesterol is coming from an animal source so choosing a vegan option it means zero cholesterol
- When cooking home
Add more spices and reduce the animals fats in the cooking process, especially butter, creams and sauces when you can
- Frozen food
Is not always easy to find the time to prepare the best meal or always have everything available in the fridge but certain ingredients can be easily stored for the long run to always have a good alternative to use
- "Evergreen" tips
Stop smoking, reducing alcohol and increasing exercises it's always helpful in this case
- Here some more practical tips from the previous posts:
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