What foods can lower your cholesterol?

If you were to consult a doctor about your high cholesterol level, the doctor’s prescription will most likely be to eat a lower cholesterol diet. If the bad cholesterol level remains the same even after following a strict healthy lower cholesterol diet for a period of time, then cholesterol lowering medicines maybe prescribed along with the lower cholesterol diet. Eating a lower cholesterol diet, and supplementing with natural cholesterol formulas, is more important in the treatment of cholesterol prescription medication.

High Cholesterol Foods

HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol are the two types of cholesterol. The HDL cholesterol level should always be higher and the LDL cholesterol level should always be lower for a balanced healthy lower cholesterol diet.

The LDL cholesterol gets deposited in the artery and results in damage of the artery. The HDL cholesterol removes this excess level of LDL from the blood. So it is always necessary that HDL level should always be higher. The LDL cholesterol level can be decreased by taking an apple everyday which is part of a lower cholesterol diet. Most of the vegetables and fruits are free from cholesterol so it can be taken to reduce cholesterol level. Exercising everyday and taking a balanced diet is very important in increasing HDL level. But cholesterol produced in the liver and certain cells are useful for the production of certain hormones and membranes in the body and are needed in a lower cholesterol diet.

Some of the food in a lower cholesterol diet:

1. Vegetables and fruits

Vegetables and fruits in the form of salads or soup is one of the best ways for maintaining the level of cholesterol in a lower cholesterol diet. To start a day with vegetables is more essential to maintain a lower cholesterol diet. Garlic is more essential for lowering LDL levels; as a result the arteries are not damaged and maintained healthier. Vegetables like beans and onion are useful in lowering LDL level and increases the HDL level. Carrot, cauliflower has a lot to do in the reduction of cholesterol level in a lower cholesterol diet. Citrus fruits such as lemon, orange help to reduce the LDL level as it contains vitamin c.

2. Oats

Most of the studies reveal that oats is one of the important lower cholesterol diet foods that helps to reduce cholesterol level. Oats are rich in fiber which helps in maintaining a thinner artery. Ten grams of fiber rich diet everyday is essential for lowering cholesterol.

3. Nuts

Nuts such as Almonds, Walnuts, Peanuts are rich in phytonutrients and vitamin E.These nuts are as well as rich in fat but helps to lower LDL cholesterol .Consuming walnuts after a fat meal helps to reduce heart problems. As nuts are rich in calories, consumption of nuts should be less.

4. Soybeans

Soybeans are one of the efficient recipes to reduce LDL cholesterol and prevent obesity. But soybeans are not useful in reducing cholesterol but still it is used to reduce LDL level because of its high in level of fiber and minerals.

5. Fish

As fish is rich in fatty acids it helps to reduce the LDL cholesterol and pupil with different types of diabetes consuming fish lowers the level of cholesterol in their body.

6. Alcohol

A reduced level of consumption of alcoholic drinks such as beer or wine helps to maintain the cholesterol level.

7. Vitamin C and Vitamin E

Recipe rich in vitamin C such as papaya, orange, grape juice, strawberry and rich in vitamin E such as almonds, peanuts, walnuts reduces cholesterol level.

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a sterol (a combination steroid and alcohol). Cholesterol is a lipid found in the cell membranes of all tissues, and it is transported in the blood plasma of all animals. Because cholesterol is synthesized by all eukaryotes, trace amounts of cholesterol are also found in membranes of plants and fungi.The name originates from the Greek chole- (bile) and stereos (solid), and the chemical suffix -ol for an alcohol, as researchers first identified cholesterol in solid form in gallstones by François Poulletier de la Salle in 1769. However, it is only in 1815 that chemist Eugène Chevreul named the compound “cholesterine”. Most of the cholesterol is synthesized by the body and some has dietary origin. Cholesterol is more abundant in tissues which either synthesize more or have more abundant densely-packed membranes, for example, the liver, spinal cord and brain. It plays a central role in many biochemical processes, such as the composition of cell membranes and the synthesis of steroid hormones. Cholesterol is insoluble in blood, but is transported in the circulatory system bound to one of the varieties of lipoprotein, spherical particles which have an exterior composed mainly of water-soluble proteins. The main types, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) carry cholesterol from and to the liver.According to the lipid hypothesis, abnormally high cholesterol levels (hypercholesterolemia) and abnormal proportions of LDL and HDL are associated with cardiovascular disease by promoting atheroma development in arteries (atherosclerosis). This disease process leads to myocardial infarction (heart attack), stroke and peripheral vascular disease. As high LDL contributes to this process, it is termed “bad cholesterol”, while high levels of HDL (”good cholesterol”) offer a degree of protection. The balance can be redressed with exercise, a healthy diet, and sometimes medication.