Prevention is better than cure is a golden saying. Hence let’s start with foods that increases our cholesterol levels. By avoiding the same will help to control cholesterol naturally. Saturated fat is the primary reason behind shooting levels of cholesterol. These foods are:
- Butter
- Ghee
- Hard margarines
- Lard, dripping and goose fat
- Fatty meat and meat products such as sausages
- Full fat cheese, milk, cream and yogurt
- Coconut and palm oils and coconut cream
Opting for natural, healthy and low saturated fat diet is important in helping to keep your cholesterol low but you can also reduce your cholesterol levels further by including these super 10 foods in your everyday diet . Here are Top 10 super foods that help in to reduce cholesterol levels – you can call them “Anti-Cholesterol”.
Super Food 1 -Foods full of sterols and stanols
Sterols and stanols are the first in the queue; their cholesterol lowering effects have been very well known. They are easily found in range of foods such as vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. An intake of 2.5-2.5g plant sterols/stanols everyday has been shown to reduce cholesterol by 9-12%. They work by blocking agent and fight cholesterol to not get into the gut.
Super Food 2:-Soya
Basically spirit of soya is low in saturated fat, so naturally soya foods help lower cholesterol. Proteins in soya also appear to affect how the body regulates cholesterol too. By adding 25g soya protein per day you can control cholesterol around 7%.
Super Food 3 – Oats and Barley
Another requirement is beta glucan and it can be obtain by oats and barley. It helps to stop or bind cholesterol in the intestines and arrest it from being absorbed. Per day 3g of beta glucan is definitely add a value to control cholesterol.
Super Food 4:
Green Tea
Green tea measurably reduced total and LDL cholesterol levels (by 8.30 mg/dL and 2.19 mg/dL, respectively). Remember that most green tea contains caffeine (there are decaf versions), so don’t overdo it, especially at bedtime.
Super Food 5 – Foods rich in Unsaturated Fats
Target is to keep daily saturated fat intake below 20g (women) and 30g (men) is significant for cholesterol lowering, but it is equally important to replace this saturated fat with modest amounts of unsaturated fats such as those found in olive, sunflower, corn, rapeseed and other vegetable, nut and seed oils.
Super Food 6- Fish and omega-3 fatty acids
Fatty fish can be a good source of high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help to reduce your blood pressure and blood clots. In people who have already had heart attacks, fish oil — or omega-3 fatty acids — reduces the risk of sudden death.
Super Food 7 -Fruits and Vegetable
The simplest way is to eat as much as possible fruits and vegetables because they are lower in saturated fat. You must include at least one pulse (beans, peas, lentils) every day. Other rich sources of soluble fiber include sweet potato, aborigine, okra (ladies finger), broccoli, apples, strawberry and prunes.
Super food 8:- Olive oil
Olive oil contains a potent mix of antioxidants that can lower your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol but leave your “good” (HDL) cholesterol untouched. Try using about 2 tablespoons (23 grams) of olive oil a day. The cholesterol-lowering effects of olive oil are even greater if you choose extra-virgin olive oil.
Super Food 9 – Nuts
All nuts overloaded with protein, fiber, unsaturated fats, vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, natural plant sterols and a host of beneficial plant nutrients. 40-45g a day of nuts has the potential to lower cholesterol by an average of 5-7%.
Super Food 10:-Red Wine and Grape Juice
Alcohol can raise levels of good HDL cholesterol by as much as 7 to 12 percent, and red wine is specifically beneficial because its antioxidants may also lower LDL levels. You can take red grapes, which contain the same antioxidants with the added benefit of fiber.
A combination of 10 super foods that help one control one’s cholesterol naturally include in diet and medication, will make sure your cholesterol-lowering plan keep in action.