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October 01, 2011

15 Foods to Lower Cholesterol Levels Naturally

Foods to lower cholesterol levels naturally - Cholesterol is one of the body fat (lipid) that is essential for the activity of cell membranes, making hormones, vitamins and bile acids. Cholesterol also helps in the transmission of nerve impulses.

Levels of cholesterol in the blood depend on what you eat and how the body makes cholesterol in the liver. Having too much cholesterol in the blood is not a disease, but can lead to harden and narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis) in the cardiovascular system.

There are two kinds of cholesterol: bad called low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and a well-known high-density lipoprotein (HDL). LDL can contribute to heart disease and other cardiovascular diseases. HDL removes excess LDL in your blood and brings it to the liver for disposal.

Normal blood cholesterol is less than 5 mmol / l. If between 5 and 6.5 mmol / l, you can reduce it with diet. If higher than 6.5 mmol / l you have to take medication, in addition to adjusting your diet. Here are 15 foods that are beneficial to lower cholesterol in your blood. 

1. Nuts. Walnuts, almonds and other nuts may reduce blood cholesterol. Research has shown that eating a few walnuts every day can lower your cholesterol by 27 percent. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), consuming about a handful (42.5 grams) of almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts, may reduce the risk of heart disease. The content of Omega-3 fats and antioxidants in nuts work to rehabilitate the arterial damage caused by saturated fats.  

2. Green tea, research in Japan found that theanine in green tea beneficial to increase good cholesterol and prevents the formation of bad cholesterol. You should drink at least four cups of sugar-free green tea every day to get the benefits. 

3. Tomato, drinking two glasses of tomato juice a day lowers the bad cholesterol from your body significantly. 

4. Grapes, red grapes increase good cholesterol. It is advisable to drink two glasses of grape juice every day. 

5. Blueberry, blueberries contain a large number of substances that fight bad cholesterol. Compounds in blueberries (pterostilbene) can help lower cholesterol as effectively as commercial drugs with fewer side effects. 

6. Plum, such as blueberries, plums have a huge amount of material that lowers cholesterol. 

7. Soy products, Soy products like soy milk, tofu and tempeh are not just reduce your cholesterol, but also rich in protein. 

8. Garlic, garlic has a positive effect on your bad cholesterol while maintaining good cholesterol. Many clinical trials have looked at the role and benefits of garlic on cardiovascular disease, primarily by lowering total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. American Dietetic Association recommends that the health benefits of garlic, we should consume 600-900 mg (about 1 clove of fresh) per day. 

9. Olive oil can reduce the bad cholesterol from your body. Researchers at the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Spain) found that a diet enriched with olive oil help lower bad cholesterol (LDL).  

10. Coconut Oil, research Dr. Mary Enig MS of Nutritional Sciences and other research find that natural coconut oil (non-hydrogenated) increases good cholesterol (HDL). 

11. Avocado, unsaturated fat in avocados is the kind of healthy because it can increase your HDL cholesterol levels.

12. Flaxseed oil can lower blood pressure in men with high cholesterol. In the three-month study of 59 middle-aged men, those who took supplements of flaxseed oil per day decreased blood pressure significantly.  

13. Fish and fish oil, a study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found that people with type 2 diabetes who consumed high doses of fish oil for nine weeks lowered the concentration of cholesterol in their bodies.  

14. Pomegranates, a study by the National Academy of Sciences (USA) showed that pomegranate juice reduces cholesterol plaque buildup and increases the production of nitric oxide, which helps reduce artery plaque.

15. Yogurt with probiotics. Several studies have shown that the probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus reuteri actually help lower cholesterol. They work by preventing the reabsorption of cholesterol back into the bloodstream.
So those are all 15 foods to Lower cholesterol levels naturally. Thank you for reading, I hope this article useful for you. Feel free to leave your comment.

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