Although cholesterol is necessary for people, its excess is very harmful to health. Can you lower cholesterol without medicine? What do you have to do to keep him in check? The basis is diet and exercise. It is only if it does not help in breaking cholesterol that you reach for the medicine. Elevated cholesterol – how to lower it?
Cholesterol lowering diet
Completely eliminating cholesterol from the menu is neither possible nor necessary. But its dose in food should not exceed 300 mg. This means you must use common sense. Eggs occupy the top spot on the blacklist because their yolk is a real cholesterol bomb (almost completely covers the daily requirement of the body). Instead of fatty meat and cold meats, choose poultry without skin. Avoid lard, butter, cream, full-fat milk and its products
The basis of a good diet is to reduce animal fats, because they mainly cause an increase in blood cholesterol.
Consume fiber
There are several different types of fiber, and when you are fighting cholesterol you should aim for foods with soluble fiber. Insoluble fiber is not dangerous to you, but foods high in soluble fiber are really the best foods for lowering cholesterol. According to various recommendations, you should try to provide up to 25-30 grams of fiber every day. This can mean a significant change in your diet, so start with 5-10 grams a day and keep an eye on this amount. Foods with high soluble fiber content include oat bran, fruit, legumes and barley. Try to add at least one portion of whole grain to each meal.
Eat nuts
Walnut (Italian, Hazelnut, Peanut, Cashew, Brazilian) and Almonds contain polyunsaturated fatty acids, which reduce bad cholesterol. Some studies show that 50 g of nuts eaten daily can reduce high cholesterol by 5 percent and 70 g of almonds by almost 10 percent. Almonds, however, should be eaten with the skin because it protects valuable fatty acids from oxidation. Due to the high caloric content, you should not eat salt, caramelized nuts or exceed a dose of 50 g per day.
Eat fruit
Fruits rich in vitamin C are very valuable in the low cholesterol diet. In addition, galacturonic acid found in grapefruit dissolves cholesterol deposits in the arteries and prevents their formation. Apparently, one grapefruit eaten every day can lower LDL cholesterol. Avocados are a valuable source of healthy vegetable fat, rich in monounsaturated fatty acids that lower high cholesterol. It can be used for both salty dishes and healthy desserts.
Lose weight
It is a well-known fact that overweight or obesity increases the risk of hypercholesterolemia (i.e. high cholesterol). Only 1 in 7 obese people have normal cholesterol levels. One of the reasons why obesity is associated with higher cholesterol is because of poor dietary decisions that often lead to overweight.
Wrap-up
This article has highlighted the main sources of cholesterol, as well as some alternative sources of food that will help with lowering its levels in people’s’ diets. Enjoy your healthier lifestyle!
