Foods that Lower Cholesterol Naturally

This is a Guest post by Amy C. where she discusses some great and tasty foods that lower cholesterol naturally. Enjoy!

Five Tasty Foods that Lower Cholesterol Naturally

Many people will do and eat (or not eat) anything just to ensure that they keep their bodies fit and healthy. It might be considered a sacrifice but this is such a small price to pay for a long and happy life. One of the many ways to be healthy is to have low cholesterol. In turn, this lowers a person’s blood pressure, keeping the heart and blood vessels free from a variety of illnesses. Reader’s Digest has rounded up the top 5 foods that will help you lower the amount of cholesterol in your body.

Roasted Almonds

A mere fistful of almonds – with the skins on – can give you 9 grams of monosaturated fat. This is a substance that will cut off the amount of bad cholesterol in the body and even increase the levels of the good one. instead of reaching for some chips, pretzels, or a doughnut for your snack, opt to eat a serving of almonds instead. This can slash your bad cholesterol levels by 10 percent. The Vitamin E found in the meat of the almonds combines with the flavonoids found in its skin can stop the development of plaque build-up in arteries.

Avocados

A study recently conducted in the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social in Mexico found that men and women who ate an avocado everyday for 7 days showed reduced total cholesterol of 17 percent. Further details were released saying that unhealthy triglycerides and LDL levels fell while healthy HDL levels increased. This is believed to be brought about by the high amount of monounsaturated fat that avocado contains. The fat-filled avocado also has beta-sitosterol that can cut cholesterol.

Tomatoes

Consuming at least seven servings of tomatoes in a week – whether they are taken in fresh, dried, or sauced – can decrease cardiovascular disease risk by as much as 30 percent. This is according to a study that was conducted in Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Plus, tomatoes contain the lycopene, an effective antioxidant, along with fiber, potassium, and Vitamin C. Lycopene levels increase when tomato is cooked for at least 30 minutes.

Canned Salmon

Salmon is one of those food items that contain the highest amount of omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, a single serving can contain 1.8 grams of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). These are two of the most essential omega-3 that can lower risk for irregular heart rhythms as well as reduce inflammation, cholesterol levels, atherosclerosis, and blood clot formation.

Oatmeal

This healthy breakfast staple oatmeal contains betaglucan. This is a soluble fiber commonly found in oats, having the ability to trap and eliminate bile acids in the intestines that are teeming with cholesterol. As a result, unhealthy LDL is lowered because there are fewer amounts available in the bloodstream to be absorbed. A study that was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association said that 1 to 1 ½ cups of oatmeal in a day can cut cholesterol levels down to 2 to 3 percent.

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Author Andi Kramers (101 Posts)

Andi Kramers is the owner and admin of vitalbynature.net. Loves climbing, skiing, cooking, blogging and all things natural. Always happy to share good content. Feel free to connect :)