Foods That Will Lower Your Cholesterol

Poor diets are leading many people to discover that their total cholesterol levels are not where they should be. Rising cholesterol levels have many doctors telling patients that their eating habits need to change. With science constantly changing, it is hard to keep up with the best foods for lowering your cholesterol levels. Soy has been linked to improving cholesterol, but recently studies are showing that it is not true. Soy may be helpful with certain cancers, but for cholesterol levels, it has no effect.

Many foods can help, however. Adding them to your diet is beneficial for your body. These same foods are actually pretty tasty if you spend a little time learning how to prepare them.

Fish

Back in the 1970s, scientists studied Eskimos in Greenland and determined that they have the lowest rates of heart disease in their country. As their diets revolve solely around seafood, seal, and whale, it is believed that their diet free of saturated fats and rich in Omega-3 fats is the reason.

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish, especially tuna, trout, herring, mackerel, salmon, and sardines. You should eat the fish grilled or poached to keep calories down. If you are allergic to fish, flaxseed, canola oil, and walnuts are also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids.

Nuts

Nuts, especially walnuts and almonds, contain high amounts of polyunsaturated fats. These fats boost your good cholesterol level and help keep veins and arteries in prime condition.

Nutritionists recommend eating a handful of walnuts and almonds every day. Watch your intake, however, as nuts are high in calories.

Plant Sterols

Some brands of orange juice and margarine are now enriched with plant sterols. This natural substance acts like soluble fiber and helps remove cholesterol from the body shortly after you eat.

Look for Tropicana's Heart Healthy orange juice or margarines like Benecol. These products are believed to help lower cholesterol by a number of points.

Soluble Fiber

Bran, oatmeal, barley, prunes, legumes, apples, pears, and Brussels sprouts contains soluble fiber. This fiber acts like a sponge. It soaks up the bile within your blood stream that contains the cholesterol and passes it through the intestines. The cholesterol is expelled from your body through the fecal matter.

Studies prove that even a bowl full of oatmeal every morning can reduce your bad cholesterol count by up to 5%. It is easy to add soluble fiber to your diet. Use bran in muffins, breads, and even add it to your hot cereal.

To safely lower your cholesterol, increase cholesterol lowering foods, eliminate rich, fatty meat cuts, and try tossing in two vegetarian meals every week. Cholesterol does not exist in vegetables, so adding two vegetarian meals per week will help cut your cholesterol count.

Fiber is the key to successful cholesterol maintenance. It is easy to add bran flakes to your foods. Instead of eating steamed rice, try steamed barley instead. It tastes great and is better for you. Make sure you are getting at least 10 grams of fiber every day and your numbers will lower within no time.