What To Eat To Lower Your Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a serious problem in our modern world.  Our bad cholesterol LDL is killing us and our good cholesterol HDL is falling.  Sadly it’s almost all about what we eat and what we do.  Exercise and the right foods can support us with good cholesterol levels. 

So what should you eat to lower your cholesterol ?

1.      Eat more garlic – it’s easy to do just add garlic to everything – soups, vegetables, pasta, casseroles, you name it you can add garlic.

2.      Eat more soy foods – if you don’t like tofu which is great for you try eating green soybeans.

3.      Eat more beans – beans are really good for you and not just pork and beans, lentils, black beans, green beans, kidney beans, all of them.

4.      Make sure your diet is rich in fiber which can be found in fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, flaxseed, barley, carrots, and a variety of other foods.  Fiber for breakfast is a healthy move.

5.      Use olive oil instead of butter or margarine.

6.      Eat vegetarian means often.  Remove red meat from your diet as much as possible to reduce saturated fats.

7.      Meat should be considered as a condiment.  Yes that includes chicken.  It should be used to add to a meal rather than being the main dish of the meal.

8.      Do not buy products that have hydrogenated oils or trans fats which are deadly to you because your body simply can’t digest them so the result is high cholesterol and clogged arteries.

9.      Make sure the margarine you use is either made from olive oil or with cholesterol lowering stanols from plants.

10. Exercise, exercise, exercise – walk, ride a bike, jump rope, all of which will reduce your cholesterol.

11. Switch to whole grains in your breads, bagels, crackers, waffles, muffins, and pasta to name just a few.

12. Eat legumes all week long.  In your soup, salad, as a snack, however you want to eat them, just eat them!

13. Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables every day.  More is better.  You can never have enough.

14. Choose whole fruits with skins rather than juice.  Juice has the fiber removed so it’s not as good for you and at reducing cholesterol.

15. Other foods that are good for you are salmon, almonds, raw onion, walnuts, and avocados.

16. Eat foods that are high in antioxidants, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E – green peppers, red peppers, sunflower seeds, cantaloupe, strawberries, oranges, peanuts, wheat germ, brussel sprouts, and broccoli.

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Your cholesterol level should be less than 200 mg/dl. LDL is your bad cholesterol and is responsible for a higher risk of heart disease.  HDL is good cholesterol and will lower your risk of heart disease.  It should be higher than 60 mg/dl. 

If you have high cholesterol you need to work with your doctor and a dietician to get the right help.  If you don’t have high cholesterol these sixteen tips will help keep you healthy.