One of the most troubling things about high cholesterol is that you won’t know you have it until you visit your doctor. There are no symptoms and left unchecked; high cholesterol puts you at greater risk for heart disease. Lowering your cholesterol and keeping it at a healthy level is the best way to live a long and healthy life without succumbing to this silent killer. In addition to eating foods that help lower cholesterol, you can also look to some of the best drinks to lower your cholesterol.
Drinks with high Antioxidants can effectively reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (that’s the bad one!). Here are some of the drinks that are high in antioxidants. Only having at least one of the following drinks each day can positively impact your cholesterol level and your overall health in a positive way!
Change The Way You Drink Cranberry Juice
Everyone loves that cranberry juice cocktail, but it’s loaded with sugar and very little natural juices. Find a natural creation with zero added sugar to get those cardiovascular benefits you’re searching for.
A study suggests, if you drink this kind of cranberry juice twice daily, you can raise your HDL cholesterol (remember, that’s the good one!) while lowering the bad LDL cholesterol, all thanks to cranberry’s potent antioxidants. It should be noted that cranberries can taste very bitter without all that sugar.
Make Citrus Juice Your Main Squeeze
Citrus fruits juices are also good antioxidant-booster that could benefit your heart health and lower cholesterol levels. If you’re not a fan of cranberry juice, you can always squeeze orange/lemon into your water and drop a slice with the rind in there too to get the best benefit. It’s not as powerful as cranberry juice. But it adds flavor to your water, which will help you drink more of it in the long run.
Make Red Wine Your Only Alcohol Choice
Red Wine is different than other alcoholic beverages due to its strong antioxidant properties making it the only alcoholic beverages on this list. Studies suggest that moderate consumption of red wine can prevent coronary heart diseases, lower LDL cholesterol, and prevent blood clots.
Red Wine contains a large number of polyphenolic compounds like resveratrol, anthocyanins, and catechins. Resveratrol, in particular, is the most effective compound which has shown to significantly lower LDL cholesterol because of its antioxidant properties.
Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to several chronic diseases. So drink a certain amount (5 oz/148 mL of wine) every day to get the benefits and cut the risk to develop other diseases.
Grape Juice – A Great Alternative
When you want to avoid alcohol but keep the cholesterol-lowering benefits of red wine, grape juice is the best alternative out there. Grape juice contains flavonoids, the powerful antioxidants that prevent oxidation of ‘LDL’ cholesterol, and raises ‘HDL’ Cholesterol Levels. It also helps to maintain healthy blood pressure.
Go with dark red and purple grapes juice since these tend to be higher in antioxidants than are white or green grapes.
Go Tart with Cherry Juice
Tart cherry juice has also shown promising benefits for lowering cholesterol and improving cardiovascular health. Daily consumption of tart cherry juice can significantly lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure to help you get back into good health again.
However, when choosing tart cherry juice, only choose unsweetened varieties, or you’ll be undoing the benefits you should be getting from it.
Drink Pomegranate Juice Everyday
Antioxidant properties in Pomegranate juice is much higher than other fruit juices, including blueberry, cranberry, and orange. It contains nearly three times as many antioxidants as green tea or red wine, making it a perfect natural drink to lower cholesterol levels.
This Antioxidant-rich juice not only helps with lowering LDL cholesterol, but it also reduces blood vessel damage and prevents the hardening of the arteries. A study suggests that consuming concentrated pomegranate juice significantly reduced the total cholesterol level in type II diabetic patients. In another study, drinking pomegranate juice for eight weeks showed positive impacts on blood pressure, serum triglycerides, and HDL cholesterol.
To get the most health benefits out of pomegranate juice, make sure to drink pure pomegranate juice without added sugar. The added sugar adds more calories resulting in reduced effectiveness.
Green Tea – The Ultimate Drink to Lower Cholesterol
Is it any wonder that teas have been cherished for their healing properties since ancient times? Now that science can delve more in-depth, we can confirm that green tea, is one of the best drinks to lower cholesterol.
Unlike other teas, green tea doesn’t go through extensive processing. That’s why many of its antioxidants like catechins, are preserved. Many studies suggest green tea catechins can lower LDL cholesterol significantly, plus it helps with regulating blood pressure.
When choosing green tea, though, you must find minimally processed ones to reap the benefits. Hibiscus tea has also been noted for high antioxidants, which halt free radical damage and help the heart and body heal.
Bottom Line
While it might not seem like a significant change to make, drinking these beverages to lower your cholesterol can add to your other efforts in lifestyle changes. Raise your glass and drink to your health!
