7 Foods That Help Lower Cholesterol Naturally
Here’s a scary fact: heart disease is the top cause of death in the world. If your doctor told you at your last checkup that your cholesterol level is too high, you are at a much greater risk. And yes, that includes both LDL (the bad one) and HDL (the good one) along with triglycerides.
Lucky for you, there’s a very simple way to get your cholesterol levels under control. There’s no crazy magic or pills involved. All it takes is changing what you eat. Certain foods have been scientifically shown to help effectively lower your cholesterol naturally.
Start eating these 7 foods more often now that help Put Bad Cholesterol in its Place. Next time you go in for your checkup, your doctor is going to be proud.
Go for Nuts
Are you the snacky type? Don’t worry, we all are. But if we choose salty chips and other unhealthy snacks, we’re only causing more harm. Instead, choose nuts. Almonds and walnuts are among the best though trading other snacks for any nuts gives you more plant compounds that block cholesterol absorption into the intestines. When researchers analyzed 25 studies about nuts, they found that eating nuts decreased LDL cholesterol.
Word to the wise though…healthy as nuts are, they do have calories so don’t forget to measure out your portions!
Avocados Get an ‘A+’
Fun fact: avocados are fruits! While we might not eat them like other fruits, you may want to eat more of them. Clinical studies have shown avocados lower LDL cholesterol. Eat one a day and you’ll be on your way to a tastier and healthy life all in one!
Make Health Whole with Whole Grains
Foods containing whole grains magically help lower cholesterol. One could marvel at the gobs and hobs of research surrounding whole grains and their link to lowered risk for heart disease.
We could list them all, but it’s better to take a look at an analysis of 45 of them which showed eating 3 servings of whole grains each day led to a 20% lowered risk for not just heart disease but stroke too. And! Those benefits became even greater the more servings of whole grains the participants ate.
Oats and barley are cited as the most wholesome of these whole grains too. Start your day off with a bowl of oats and make a nice hearty barley and vegetable soup. Of course, you can also get another serving it with whole-grain toast topped with that avocado from above too!
Chocolate Saves The Day
Eating healthfully isn’t always easy, but if chocolate is allowed, it’s easy to get on board. Now before you go buying up the candy bars in the checkout line, it’s important to note that dark chocolate and cocoa are what you should be eating, not other types of chocolate.
Research shows that dark chocolate and cocoa reduce LDL cholesterol, decrease blood pressure, and help bring up levels of HDL cholesterol for well-rounded health. Be careful which cocoa or dark chocolate products you choose because added sugar will undo all their benefits. You want to look for them with 75% cocoa content or higher.
Lower Cholesterol with Garlic
Garlic is essential for making any meal savory. If you are in the habit of making your wheat pasta or zoodles with sauces that require recipes with 1 clove of garlic and routinely throw in about 5 or more, you’re on your way to lowering cholesterol naturally. One of the most important compounds in garlic is allicin which has been shown to help lower bad cholesterol.
Fun fact: eating raw garlic gives you the most benefits but it may be too strong for you this way. Instead, cut it up and add it at the very end of your cooking time so it softens but still retains the compounds that make it so extraordinary for getting cholesterol under control.
Delve into Dark Leafy Greens
You can’t go wrong with adding more vegetables to your diet for your best health and for lower cholesterol. However, if you really want a happy and healthy heart, eat more dark leafy greens. Kale and spinach, we’re looking at you!
These have more lutein and carotenoids which lower heart disease risks. They serve as antioxidants that eradicate those nasty free radicals to prevent hardened arteries.
There is so much good that comes from eating these types of veggies so find more ways to get them into your day. Put them in that barley soup. Stuff them in sandwiches on whole-grain bread. Make a salad with them. And if you really can’t stand the taste, put them in a smoothie and you’ll never know they’re there!
Here’s the tea on tea
And finally, switch your soda and juice habit if you haven’t already to one of tea. Tea, especially green tea, has catechins that regulate healthy blood pressure and stop cholesterol synthesis and absorption. Have a cup of it daily and you’ll not only be relaxing and taking life in stride, but you’ll also be lowering cholesterol with every sip.
Lower Cholesterol Naturally through Foods
All it takes is eating the right foods to see a difference in your cholesterol levels. It’s part of a healthy lifestyle. Round it out with legumes, fatty fish, soy, and berries. Not only it will help lower your cholesterol level, but also you’ll be on your way to better overall health.
About the Author
Twigs cafe staff is comprised of editors, writers, food & drink experts, nutritionists, and researchers to create informative and helpful content for health-conscious people.
