Veggie Blog

Food to eat to lower cholesterol

There is a saying that goes, “We are what we eat.” This is true because the food we eat can push up the cholesterol levels in the body. High cholesterol makes a person more likely to develop high blood pressure or heart disease with age, which can lead to a heart attack, stroke, paralysis or death.

The right time to act is before it is too late, by making some changes to your diet. Many of the foods people love to eat are high in saturated fat, which raises LDL, better known as bad cholesterol. This can change by eating foods that help lower LDL and support HDL, the good cholesterol. Here are a few examples.

Start with breakfast

A good way to begin a heart-healthy diet is to have a proper breakfast. Instead of bread, try oatmeal. Oats contain soluble fiber, and studies show that a daily serving can lower LDL cholesterol by a modest amount over a few weeks. Keeping it up as a habit before going to work helps maintain the effect.

It is also good to have something light in the morning. Sometimes you can have a piece of fruit, such as an apple.

Fruit is rich in fiber and eating more of it, along with other plant foods, is linked to a lower risk of heart disease. You can buy it at the supermarket and eat it any time of the day, for example as a dessert after a light meal or as a snack.

Lunch and dinner

At lunch or dinner, include some vegetables in the meal. If you eat animal foods, choose fish or poultry instead of red meat. Such dishes are lower in saturated fats, which is healthier.

Those who love to cook at home can try adding flavorful ingredients to the meal. One example is garlic, which adds taste without fat. It may have a small effect on cholesterol, but it does not clear the arteries, so it is a tasty extra rather than a treatment.

Beans, such as baked beans, are also a good choice for the diet because they contain soluble fiber that can help lower LDL cholesterol. Not many people eat them regularly, but those who have beans or lentils several times a week are helping their cholesterol numbers.

People are generally told that fat is bad for the diet. This is not quite true, because fat comes in many forms. Some fats are good for you, such as unsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids.

Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are the healthier ones and are usually found in cooking oils, nuts and fish. The way you prepare your food also plays a big part in lowering cholesterol levels.

Check the label at the supermarket and read the ingredients to find out whether a product is a good choice for cooking.

Being overweight or carrying a lot of weight around the waist is one sign that a person may be at risk of high cholesterol levels.

If you find it hard to work out a suitable eating plan, a registered dietitian can help you draw one up, and then all you have to do is follow it.