Top Five Uncomplicated Foods to Raise HDL "Good" Cholesterol

It's annual check-up time and your doctor has a little talk with you about cholesterol levels. Is there something you can do to address cholesterol concerns without resorting to drugs? I've been there and the answer is "Yes." Of course, each of us is wonderfully unique, and nothing works for everyone. Still, if you're looking to improve your cholesterol status, it might help to increase your HDL ("good") cholesterol. That's because your health is impacted not just by LDL ("bad") cholesterol, but by the ratio of LDL cholesterol to HDL cholesterol.

How to increase HDL cholesterol

When patients turn up with elevated LDL or triglyceride counts, many doctors reach for the prescription pad. Mine did just that. But, personally, unless it's an emergency, I usually don't see the point of jumping directly to medication when there are sensible and safe natural alternatives to try first. By incorporating five simple, ordinary foods into my diet on a regular basis, I was fortunate enough to avoid taking cholesterol drugs. I hope these foods work for you, too! Here are my top five uncomplicated foods to increase HDL cholesterol.

Orange juice

How yummy is this? Nothing fancy here: I drink orange juice, straight up, in a tall glass. Research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) showed that drinking about three cups of OJ a day improved blood lipid profiles significantly.

So, where's the magic: is it the vitamin C? The folate? The bioflavonoids? No one yet knows for sure. But we do know that orange juice is a richly complex and nutritious food --- and I, for one, would not try to replace it with a pill. Besides, at least for me, orange juice is delicious and easy just the way it is.

Cocoa

Yes, cocoa, as in: chocolate! Another AJCN report shows cocoa is very effective at increasing HDL cholesterol. Volunteers consumed about a quarter-cup of cocoa powder with sugar every day --- 26 grams of cocoa and 12 grams of sugar, to be exact. (Tough duty, but someone had to do it for the sake of science. ) After 12 weeks, the volunteers had a 24% increase in HDL cholesterol levels.

If you are in the "hot chocolate again?" mindset, don't forget that cocoa counts in muffins and brownies, as well as bread, pancakes, and fillings. Cocoa, with a little extra sugar or honey, can boost a bowl of vanilla or strawberry yogurt right over the top. I keep a jar of cocoa with Hawaiian sugar by the coffee machine. I love to slip a few spoonfuls into a steaming cup of dark-roasted Joe. (Wow, did you know coffee may help improve memory loss? But I digress.) Unless you just can't stand chocolate, remember to try --- really hard --- to somehow squeeze in about a quarter-cup of cocoa powder a day.

Eggs

Not only are eggs back, they're back in diets specifically to help raise HDL cholesterol. The National Institutes of Health reported that even adding one egg a day to your diet, for three months, pumped up HDL.

Eggs, orange juice, chocolate muffins --- this is starting to sound like breakfast, people! Even if you don't eat breakfast, however, it can be easy to include an egg a day in your diet. For example, hard-boiled eggs can make a satisfying snack. Simply boil a dozen eggs while watching your favorite TV show. Cool and, if you like, peel. Stash eggs in the fridge for noshing on throughout the week or for making into salad later.

Garlic

Just because we're talking garlic doesn't mean we're necessarily leaving the breakfast theme. Garlic is like salt and pepper: this aromatic bulb can go into almost anything --- scrambled eggs and omelets (see above), cooked vegetables, soups, stews, beer bread and other savory baked goods. Indeed, the basic and beloved garlic bread can be fabulously varied, or it can be as carefree as sprinkling garlic granules on buttered toast. (I love adding a little freshly ground black pepper, too.)

In short, garlic is a culinary lifestyle and I am very pleased to live it. The fact that studies show garlic can increase HDL levels is, for me (and to use a completely inapt metaphor), "icing on the cake." Besides, garlic keeps vampires away --- doesn't it?

Omega-3 fats from fish

One of the many interesting studies on Omega-3 fats focused on bread made with a small amount of stable fish oil. (I know; my bread, that better be a very small amount of fish oil.) People who ate the bread experienced a "significant increase in omega-3 fatty acids, an increase in HDL-cholesterol, and a decrease in triglycerides and MDA, which may reduce the risk of ischemic heart disease." Bravo, that's fantastic!

While fish oil capsules may be the easiest way to get HDL cholesterol-raising Omega-3 fats, there also are simple strategies for those who want to eat more fish, such as making tuna into a "fast food." Plus, products such as Smart Balance spreads and mayonnaise with olive oil make it more convenient than ever to boost heart-friendly fats in your diet.

Take five and increase your HDL cholesterol

Orange juice, cocoa, eggs, garlic and fish --- there's something for most everyone on this list of healthful foods that can work wonders for your heart.

More B.A. Rogers: Avoiding Weight Gain: Stand Up For Yourself and Watermelon Juice and Weight Loss: Recipe for Success.

Sources:

Elzbieta M Kurowska, et al., "HDL-cholesterol-raising effect of orange juice in subjects with hypercholesterolemia," American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Seigo Baba, et al., "Continuous intake of polyphenolic compounds containing cocoa powder reduces LDL oxidative susceptibility and has beneficial effects on plasma HDL-cholesterol concentrations in humans," American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

K.,Mayurasakom, et al., "High-density lipoprotein cholesterol changes after continuous egg consumption in healthy adults," National Institutes of Health.

Gisella Mutungi, et al., "Dietary Cholesterol from Eggs Increases Plasma HDL Cholesterol in Overweight Men Consuming a Carbohydrate-Restricted Diet," Journal of Nutrition.

Rizwan Ashraf, et al., "Effects of Garlic on Dyslipidemia in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus," J Ayub Med Coll Abbottabad.

Meilin Liu, et al., "Effect of bread containing stable fish oil on plasma phospholipid fatty acids, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, and malondialdehyde in subjects with hyperlipidemia," Science Direct.