If your diet gave you high cholesterol, it can lower it, too! It’s easy to eat your way to an alarmingly high cholesterol level. The reverse is true, too — changing what you eat can lower your cholesterol and improve the armada of fats floating through your bloodstream. Different foods lower cholesterol in various ways. Here are the top foods to lower your cholesterol and protect your heart. IN WITH THE GOOD Soluble fibre Soluble fibre binds cholesterol in the digestive system and drags them out of the body before they get into circulation. This type of fibre reduces LDL cholesterol levels more than a diet low in saturated or trans fats alone. Five to 10 grams of soluble fibre a day reduces LDL cholesterol by 5%. Barley, sweet potatoes, peas, carrots and beans are great sources of soluble fibre. They also take a while for the body to digest, meaning you feel full for longer after a meal. Bananas, apples, strawberries, prunes, citrus fruits are rich in pectin, a type of soluble fibre that also lowers LDL cholesterol. Omega-3 containing fish Eating fatty fish e.g. mackerel, trout, sardines, pilchards, snoek, salmon – two to three times a week can lower LDL cholesterol in two ways: by replacing meat, which has LDL-boosting saturated fats, and by delivering LDL-lowering omega-3 fats. Omega-3s can reduce blood pressure, risk of blood clots and triglycerides (fat in the blood that increases cholesterol) in the bloodstream and also protect the heart by helping prevent the onset of abnormal heart rhythms. In people who have already had heart attacks, fish oil — or omega-3 fatty acids — may reduce the risk of sudden death. Seeds Flax seeds have been shown in several meta-analyses to reduce total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol by 5–15%, reduce Lipoprotein (a) by 14% and triglycerides by up to 36%. Flax seeds are anti-inflammatory; it is a source of fibre, lignins as well as phytoestrogens that further protects against heart disease. The dose required for these effects is between 14 to 40 grams of flax seed per day. Important to note is that these health properties do not apply to flax seed oil. Chia seeds at a dose of 25 g per day is also good for cholesterol lowering. Sesame seeds at 40 g per day reduces LDL cholesterol by 9%. Unsaturated fats or plant fats A number of studies shows that eating nuts and avocados is good for the heart. Rich in mono (MUFA) – and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids, both can lower LDL cholesterol and they have additional nutrients that protect the heart in other ways. All nuts are high in calories, so a small handful will do. Make sure the nuts you eat aren’t salted or coated with sugar. To avoid eating too many nuts and gaining weight, replace foods high in saturated fat with nuts. For example, instead of using cheese, meat or croutons in your salad, add a handful of walnuts, cashews or almonds. Another good source of MUFAs is olive-, canola- and avocado oil. Try using these oils in place of other fats in your diet to get its heart-healthy benefits. Add it to a marinade or mix it with vinegar as a salad dressing. Both avocados and these oils are high in calories, so don’t eat more than the recommended amount (as indicated by your dietitian). Soy Eating soybeans and foods made from them, like tofu, soy mince, soy yoghurt and soy milk, was once touted as a powerful way to lower cholesterol. Analyses show that the effect is more modest — consuming 25 grams of soy protein a day (300g of tofu or 2 ½ cups of soy milk) can lower LDL cholesterol by 5 percent. Sterols and stanols Foods are usually fortified with sterols and stanols and these plant compounds interfere with the body’s ability to absorb cholesterol from food. Some margarines and yogurt drinks come with added plant sterols and can help reduce LDL cholesterol by 5 to 15 percent. However, for most people, it is not possible to achieve the optimum intake of 2g per day from foods. For example, the recommended daily dose can be obtained by using 25g (5tsp) Flora PRO.ACTIV spread per day that could be detrimental if you are watching your weight. Fortunately, there are also supplements available that are worth trying. Pomegranate Pomegranate is a potent antioxidant that lowers oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Consuming 250ml of pure pomegranate juice per day or one to two cups of pomegranate seeds is recommended. OUT WITH THE BAD Harmful LDL cholesterol creeps upward and protective HDL cholesterol drifts downward largely because of diet and other lifestyle choices. Genes play a role, too — some people are genetically programmed to respond more readily to what they eat — but genes aren’t something you can change. Here are things you can change. Saturated fats Typical sources of saturated fat include animal products, such as red meat, whole-fat dairy products, eggs, and also a few vegetable oils, such as palm oil, coconut oil, and cocoa butter. Saturated fat can increase your levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol. But it has some benefits, too — it lowers triglycerides and nudges up levels of “good” HDL cholesterol. The role of saturated fat in heart disease is currently under debate. For now, it’s best to be sensible and manage your intake of saturated-fat-rich foods. Refined carbohydrates Increased refined carbohydrate intake may be more important in having a detrimental effect on cholesterol levels than saturated fats. Refined carbohydrates have adverse effects on insulin resistance, LDL and HDL cholesterol as well as triglycerides levels, thus contributing to coronary heart disease risk more than saturated fats. Trans and hydrogenated fats The right amount of these fats are zero! Trans fats are a by-product of the chemical reaction that turns liquid vegetable oil into solid margarine or shortening and that prevents liquid vegetable oils from turning rancid. These fats, often found in shore-bought cookies, doughnuts, crackers, cakes, pies have no
