Four Essential Foods to Lower Cholesterol

1. Fish and Omega -3s - Discovering the benefits of omega-3s make all the difference to instantly improving your health. As one of the most affect alternative and natural sources you can take to better your health, omega-3s tops this very important list of four essential foods to lower your cholesterol. Food plays a wonderful part in the improvement of your health on a daily basis. By simply adding these four foods to the weekly menu your health can instantly take a turn for the better.

To improve your blood cholesterol profile you must incorporate omega-3s, which are found in fish and fish oil. Fatty food may not be healthy for you, but when it comes to fish the fattier the better. Select the fattiest fish you can find such as such as mackerel, herring, sardines and salmon. These fatty fish will contain the highest levels of omega-3s. To maintain the excellent benefits from eating fish the preparation of the fish must exclude frying fish and pre-fried fish.

While the highest concentration omega-3s are found is the selection of fish listed above the levels are only at their best when the fish is grilled or baked and therefore never fried. The weekly recommended intake for fish and fatty fish in particular is twice a week according to the American Heart Association. Remember omega-3s can also be found in soy products such as tofu as well as walnuts and flaxseeds. The higher the concentration levels of omega-3s the better.

2. Grains and Oats are an excellent source of soluble fiber which are very effective in lowering the "bad" LDL cholesterol. To block the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream, a sufficient in take of approximately 3 grams of soluble fiber a day is required. Grains and oats over time greatly reduce the risk of heart disease. Preparation of morning oatmeal usually consists of 1 1/2 cups of cooked oatmeal to provide you with as much as 6 grams per serving. For those who prefer grains instead of oats try barley, psyllium and rice bran. These gain option are abundant in cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber and taste delicious.

3. Beans and Lentils are another great natural source of soluble fiber. Incorporating beans, lentils and peas into your diet will decrease the level of "bad" cholesterol and provide you with a good source to improve the health of your heart. Beans provide a protein-rich great substitute for high-saturated fat, cholesterol-heavy meats.
Your favorite Chili recipe enriched with beans makes the perfect bean based meal to fast track your dietary intact for a healthier you. Recent studies confirmed that a little as half a cup of cooked pinto beans daily over 12 weeks dramatically lowered cholesterol levels by 8 percent. This is a massive improvement over a short period of time. The effectiveness of a healthy diet to lower cholesterol levels is both painless and natural.

4. Alcohol surprising makes the list for its amazing ability to improve the cholesterol profile. One glass of beer or wine with an evening meal helps provide the heart with the protection it requires. Moderation must be taken into consideration as excessive intake of Alcohol is ill advised. In the promotion the well being of your health moderate drinking levels have been found to improve the higher levels of "good" HDL cholesterol. Beverages such as read wine are enriched with antioxidant. This is another option for those who are able to comfortably moderate their drink intake. However, this may not be for those who do not as excess drinking can lead to other health problems. As a rule, one drink a day for women and two for men does the trick.

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