Lower Cholesterol Food

Ask any average American what cholesterol is and a majority will give you a fat-related answer. While this may not be too far from the truth, the reality of the matter is that cholesterol and fat are two different things. This means that cholesterol can be found in both high-fat foods and low-fat foods. More to this, high-fat diets are not the sole sources of bad cholesterol. Hereditary factors also contribute significantly to ones cholesterol build-up levels. The good news however is that cholesterol levels can be well managed by eating lower cholesterol food.

To start, nutritionists recommend the inclusion of oats and whole grains in a persons diet. Walnuts, fatty fish and foods that contain plant stanols or sterols are also recommended since research into the same has found that they significantly reduce bad cholesterol in the body. People should however know that eating these foods does not give them the leeway to indulge in high-fat foods.

Legumes are also among the lower cholesterol foods recommended by health experts. Foods in this group include beans, hummus, black beans and soy beans. The recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables daily take a completely different meaning in cholesterol management. As such, people prone to high cholesterol levels especially due to genetic predisposition are advised to take at least one serving of the same at breakfast, another at lunch and another at dinner. The remaining two can be taken as snacks in between the main meals. While taking fruits as a cholesterol management food, doctors recommend the consumption of whole fruits instead of juices, since this allows one to consume the fiber too.

Garlic in both its cooked or raw forms is also categorized as a lower cholesterol food. According to the medical experts, garlic has compound concentrates, which lower the amount of cholesterol released by the liver into the blood stream. Salmon, avocados, almonds and olive oils are classified as ideal sources of monounsaturated fats. Accordingly, such should be consumed for purposes of providing the body with good cholesterol.

Foods classified as being rich in Vitamins E and C are touted to have natural anti-oxidants. Such are also recommended as lower cholesterol foods, and include the likes of peppers, oranges, broccoli, straw berries, papaya, grapes, wheat germ, and sun flower seeds among others. Over the years, doctors have recommended a glass of wine or beer as an ideal lower cholesterol food. They however advise against binge drinking.

In order for lower cholesterol food to have a positive impact in the body, people also need to keep their weights within healthy levels by eating the recommended portions of the other foods and exercising.