What foods to eat to lower cholesterol? It is one of the questions that became more and more popular in recent years.
The world struggles with the sudden surge of diseases such as diabetes, obesity or hypertension. A lot of them is connected to the certain lifestyle that appeared at the end of the World War II. Easy access to processed food made it so much harder to follow proper dietary restrictions. It is far easier to indulge in a cheeseburger than to cook a meal filled with vegetables and lean meat. At first, this type of diet doesn’t necessarily cause any side effects aside from weight gain. But in the end, the damage will become more pronounced. One of the symptoms is high cholesterol.
Speaking of cholesterol, it is important to differentiate between two types of cholesterol. Only one of them tends to cause medical issues. LDL cholesterol is responsible for slow damage of arteries which in turn causes many other complications. Amongst them is high risk of heart failure, stroke or high blood pressure. LDL cholesterol tends to linger in arteries, changing their structure. The blood flow becomes more and more restricted, arteries lose their flexibility. At certain point high cholesterol becomes nothing else but a ticking time bomb. It is why it’s so important to check the cholesterol levels regularly, especially for people past their prime. If the results of blood work look bleak, it is time to make necessary changes. After all, it is possible to lower cholesterol levels. But it does require some dedication and discipline and that’s why more often than not, it proves to be very difficult.
High cholesterol is the direct result of bad diet. More importantly, it is diet filled with saturated fats, trans fats, not enough protein, vitamins and fibre. Sweets and snacks such as cookies and crackers, red meat, processed food also known as fast food… all of it, while tastes good, is very bad for one’s health. In order to make sure that cholesterol levels stay within the acceptable range, it is important to avoid aforementioned foods as often as possible.
But what foods to eat to lower cholesterol? Luckily for everyone who suffers from cholesterol issues, there is plenty of options. For one, diet filled with unsaturated fats is the best of choices. Unsaturated fats are needed in the body for they are necessary in many metabolic reactions. They can be found in fatty fish. Salmon has the advantage of also being very tasty, so indulging in salmon-based snacks shouldn’t be a chore. Unsaturated fats are also easy to find in nuts and avocados. Both products should be eaten as often as possible.
Still, aside from the mentioned products, what foods to eat to lower cholesterol? Another good answer is a simple one – vegetables. Most vegetables are rich in vitamins, microelements but also in fibre. Diet that is based on fibre has been proven to be incredibly effective when it comes to lowering LDL cholesterol levels. So, it is good to include both vegetables and wholegrain products in every day routine.
Aside from unsaturated fats and fibre, another surprising ally in the battle against bad cholesterol is whey protein. Whey protein is widely known amongst those that workout regularly. It can also be a good addition to diet for anyone who suffers from cholesterol-related issues.
So, if anyone wants to know what foods to eat to lower cholesterol, the answers are fairly easy to find. Everything that is not processed or filled with sugar should make an excellent addition to diet. Vegetables, fruits, certain types of fish, nuts and whey protein… all of this will, over time, will result in a much better state of health. And as everyone knows, health is one of the most important things in life. Therefore, it is vital to make sure that daily diet provides everything that the body needs to function properly. Fighting off the bad cholesterol might not be an easy fight but it is one that can be won. All that it requires is will to change and to respect the human body.