Foods For High Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a very well-known word when it comes to your health. I’m sure you have heard of it before and know it’s something you want to keep an eye on for health reasons. Think about it, the worlds leading cause of death is heart disease.  Having high levels of cholesterol is linked to heart disease. I want to share some Foods For High Cholesterol that can help you lower it and avoid serious health problems like heart disease.

I will also explain some foods with high cholesterol to stay away from.  Finding the right foods to help lower it is only half the battle; the other half is staying away from the ones that raise it. If you haven’t already had your levels checked with your doctor, you should be booking an appointment by the end of this article! This can be a terrifying thing if discovered too late.

So please, also get your levels checked along with a healthy diet incorporating the foods I list below.

FOODS FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL

This will be a great experiment if you have relatively high levels. Check your levels before you incorporate some of these foods more often. Then after a few months, check your levels after incorporating them into your diet.  What diet for high cholesterol really depends on the person, but the correct foods will lower it, which is the goal. Here are some foods for lowering bad cholesterol.

• Oats

  Along with high fiber foods have insoluble and soluble fiber. The good news is your body needs both! You can find soluble fiber in oranges and beans. Insoluble fiber is the skin of many fruits. 
  

• Avocado

  They contain unsaturated fats, which are the healthy fats you don’t need to run from.  The great news is Avocados contain NO cholesterol! Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated (both found in Avocados) fats can lower blood cholesterol levels. You should pay close attention to these saturated fats because they can be good for you in moderation. I consume one avocado per day because this can lower the LDL cholesterol levels, known as “BAD” cholesterol.
  

• Almonds

  Are very high in monounsaturated fatty acids. Many studies are done with almonds, and the results find they can lower your bad cholesterol, aka LDL.
  

• Olive Oil

  Have many beneficial antioxidants. These antioxidants are known to lower your LDL cholesterol levels while not messing with your HDL (good) cholesterol.

         TIP: Choose less processed Olive Oil, like extra-virgin. This will contain more of those wonderful antioxidants because it’s less processed.

• Fatty fish

  Very high in omega fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to lower triglycerides. This is good because they are types of fats in the bloodstream.

• Foods with added plant stanols or sterols

  These can prevent cholesterol from being absorbed into your bloodstream. The bad cholesterol basically leaves your body as waste instead of clogging your arteries.  The best way to consume these is by eating vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds.
  

 

FOODS WITH HIGH CHOLESTEROL TO STAY AWAY FROM

• Fried foods are such a challenge because we all love them. I’m not saying completely cut them out of your diet. Just be careful they don’t become a majority of your diet.
  
• Processed meats like Bacon are a fast way to raise your levels if you’re not careful. Yes, I know it tastes good, but that’s the challenge we face, good taste or a healthy body.
• Desserts are something I absolutely love, but I understand the health risks. For this reason, I try to limit them to 1 or 2 times a week at most.
  
• Fast food like McDonald’s, for example, is extremely high. If you want to order a big breakfast, then you will be consuming 465mg or
  (155% DV)
• The liver is possibly the highest cholesterol by volume.  I don’t know many people who love the taste of it, but if you enjoy it. I would suggest cutting it out of your diet.
  
• Eggs do contain cholesterol, although they are not believed to raise cholesterol levels. I usually do a 3-egg white to 1-egg yolk combination.
• Cheese & Butter are commonly used in our diets which is why it makes it so dangerous.
  

So here are your foods to avoid when high cholesterol levels are an issue. Hopefully, your diet doesn’t consist of many of them regularly. If so, then it’s time to reevaluate your diet.

TYPES OF CHOLESTEROL

This is pretty simple and easy to remember. There are just two types of cholesterol. They are determined based on which type of protein is transported through the bloodstream.

1. LDL

   known as Low-density lipoproteins. They only deposit 1 type of cholesterol throughout the body. This is called bad because of how it is easy and likely to build up in the body.

2. HDL

   These are  High-density lipoproteins. Referred to as good cholesterol because it collects bad cholesterol from the arteries. HDL then brings it back to the liver for disposal.

DO SATURATED FATS RAISE CHOLESTEROL

Many believe that saturated fats raise cholesterol levels, which is one of the main causes of heart disease. Although this theory has been debunked, many people still believe it to be true.

One very popular saturated fat that I use in moderation is coconut oil. This is actually one of my favorite supplements. I wrote a separate article about it, and this is from 100% coconuts. You can find my Brain Octane supplement article here. 

Saturated fat does raise LDL cholesterol levels, but it is not the only cause of heart disease. Trans fats are also known to raise cholesterol levels and contribute to heart disease. Many other factors contribute to heart diseases, such as smoking, obesity, and a lack of exercise.

Eating foods high in saturated fat can increase your risk of heart disease, but if you eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly, you don’t need to worry about the amount of saturated fat in your diet.

It’s important to remember that not all cholesterol is bad. HDL, which is often called “good” cholesterol, helps to remove LDL from the arteries and keep them healthy. So, while eating foods high in saturated fat can raise your LDL levels, it’s also important to ensure you have plenty of HDL-rich foods in your diet.

HOW TRANS FAT AFFECTS CHOLESTEROL

If you’re like most Americans, you probably didn’t know that there was such a thing as trans fat until recently. You’ve probably heard all about the dangers of trans fat on the news and in magazines, but do you really know what it is and why it’s bad for you?

In fact, the American Heart Association recommends avoiding trans fats altogether. So if you’re looking to protect your heart, make sure to avoid foods that contain trans fats.

Trans fat is a type of unsaturated fat that is found in some processed foods. It increases LDL cholesterol levels and decreases HDL cholesterol levels, which can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke. In fact, a study published in the journal Circulation found that people who consume the most trans fat are twice as likely to die from heart disease as those who consume the least.

So why are trans fats still allowed in our food supply? The answer is complicated, but basically, the food industry has been able to lobby the government to keep them on the shelves. Fortunately, things are starting to change. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a new rule that would require food manufacturers to list the amount of trans fat in their products on the packaging. This would make it much easier for consumers to avoid foods that contain this harmful ingredient.

So what can you do to avoid trans fats? The best thing is to read the labels on packaged foods and avoid anything that contains hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. You can also avoid fried foods and processed snacks. Instead, try cooking your own meals using healthy ingredients like vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein.

IS CHOLESTEROL LINKED TO CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

Cholesterol is a type of lipid, or fat, that is found in the blood. Too much cholesterol in the blood can lead to fatty deposits in the arteries, which can restrict blood flow and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and high cholesterol is one of the risk factors for developing this disease. You can lower your risk of heart disease by making healthy lifestyle choices, such as eating a healthy diet, getting regular exercise, and not smoking.

If you have high cholesterol, your doctor may prescribe medication to help lower your risk and keep you safe from cardiovascular disease.

DOES YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE HAVE A CONNECTION WITH CHOLESTEROL

If you have high blood pressure, you’re not alone. It’s estimated that one in three American adults has hypertension, and many don’t even know it.

But what is high BP, exactly? And what causes it?

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a condition in which the force of your blood against the walls of your arteries is too high. This can lead to serious health problems, including heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.

One of the main causes of high BP is cholesterol. Cholesterol plaque and calcium can cause your arteries to become hard and narrow. So, your heart has to strain much harder to pump blood through them. As a result, your blood pressure becomes too high.

If you have a high BP, there are things you can do to lower it. You can start by making changes to your diet. Try to eat foods that are low in sodium and saturated fat, and include plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet. You should also get regular exercise.

If you’re on medication for hypertension, be sure to take it as directed and follow up with your doctor regularly.

If you’re concerned about your blood pressure, be sure to talk to your doctor. He or she can help you determine if you have hypertension and come up with a plan to lower your blood pressure safely and effectively.

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SUPPLEMENTS TO HELP LOWER CHOLESTEROL

First off, exercise and diet, as I have already mentioned, are the best overall ways. However, some supplements can help as well. I would recommend speaking with your doctor first about these supplements.

• Berberine is extracted from several plants and has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine. There have been hundreds of studies with Berberine. Studies have shown to improve many of the factors associated with heart disease.
  
• Niacin is taken as a prescription in larger doses, and it can help lower cholesterol and other fats in your blood. What niacin does is block how your liver makes cholesterol. Cholesterol can stick to the walls of your arteries and block or narrow them. Studies have shown it to raise good cholesterol, lower the bad, and lower another type of fat in the blood called triglycerides.
  
• Fish Oils raise the levels of good cholesterol and increase LDL particles.  The benefit to this is that smaller LDL particles have links to heart attacks. This supplement, however, is not high on my list for actually lowering your levels but does have some great benefits.

I wrote an article on some extremely high-quality Fish Oils you can check out Fish Oils

• Garlic contains something called allicin which is known to lower the clotting in the blood. With about 1-half gram consumed per day, there are studies showing garlic can lower cholesterol.
  

FINAL WORD

With some basic lifestyle changes, you can easily lower your cholesterol to healthy levels. If you have terrible and high levels, I recommend you talk to your doctor about medication to help lower it.

The best advice I can give you is to write down the good foods I suggested and go to the grocery store, and make them a part of your daily diet.  Also, please write down the list of bad foods that can raise your levels and not put them in your shopping cart!  Try this for a few months, and you will live a healthier and longer life.

 

 

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

—Michael Jordan