Foods Good For Lowering Cholesterol
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The marketing of cholesterol medication has been much more effective than the marketing of foods to reduce cholesterol. However, are you aware that it has been proven that using a list of cholesterol lowering foods to plan your diet is every bit as effective as medication?
Why using Foods to Avoid High Cholesterol Works
As is often the case when addressing health issues, nature provides the most effective tools for lowering high lipid readings.Foods to reduce cholesterol contain high amounts of natural substances that fight high cholesterol. The two primary ones are plant sterols and fiber.
Plant Sterols
Plant sterols are found in all plants and have a molecular composition that is very similar to that of cholesterol.Scientists believe that sterols fight with cholesterol for absorption into the bloodstream effectively blocking them from getting into our system.
Some foods to avoid high cholesterol with the highest plant sterol content are:
- Cashews-158 mg/100g
- Almond-143mg/100g
- Walnuts-108mg/100g
- Kidney Beans-107mg/100g
- Brussel Sprouts-24mg/100g
- Oranges/24mg/100g
To benefit from plant sterols, foods good for lowering cholesterol will need to provide you with 1g or more each day, preferably spread out through out the day.
Do not minimize the importance of fruits and vegetables. Even though they are low on this list of cholesterol lowering foods, 24mg/100g (100g=3.5oz.) they are still beneficial when used as a regular part of your diet.
Fiber
Fiber content of foods to reduce cholesterol has thorough research behind its effectiveness. Fiber both eliminates cholesterol from the body and stimulates the liver into absorbing more cholesterol.This is due to the fact that cholesterol adheres to fiber in the intestines, so that it can be eliminated instead of absorbed into the bloodstream. This process also eliminates bile acids from the body. In order to replace those bile acids, the liver pulls cholesterol out of the bloodstream.
This two pronged attack by foods that fight cholesterol has a powerful effect on high lipid readings. A high fiber diet will be very effective at addressing blood lipid problems.
Here is a sample list of cholesterol lowering foods and their fiber content per 1/2 cup:
- Beans-8 to 10g.
- Broccoli-4 g.
- Carrots-3.4g.
- All-Bran Cereal-10g
- Oranges-2g.
- Brussel Sprouts-2g.
Foods good for lowering cholesterol should supply 25-30 grams per day to be effective. Most superfoods contain both high amounts of fiber and plant sterols.
Learn more about foods to avoid high cholesterol here.
To help increase the rate of cholesterol reduction, you may wish to consider cholesterol supplements. To learn about a natural product that contains plant sterols and other ingredients that have been shown to support healthy cholesterol levels click here.
More than foods good for lowering cholesterol on the Lowering Cholesterol Resources home page.