You might have wondered what the buzz about cholesterol is about. Why are health experts always warning about cholesterol? Well, the damaging health effects of unhealthy cholesterol in the body are responsible for most deaths in the world, being the cause of strokes, heart disease, and diseases of blood flow. With heavy amounts of unhealthy cholesterol in your body, you are at risk of these health problems as bad cholesterol binds to blood channels, disrupting blood circulation to vital organs of the body, including the brain, heart, kidneys, and the limbs.
There are two kinds of cholesterol in the body: the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is called the “bad fat” because it is associated with poor cardiovascular health and HDL is referred to as the “good fat” because it has positive effects on cardiovascular health. So, it is pertinent to note that not all “cholesterol” is bad. Your body needs good amounts of good cholesterol while you avoid the bad fat.
You can achieve a good balance of both types of fats with what you eat. These foods lower LDL cholesterol and boost your body’s level of HDL cholesterol. These foods include:
Nuts: Studies have shown that nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, peanuts, cashew nuts, and other types of nuts are heart healthy. These foods lower LDL cholesterol and contain antioxidants that protect the heart from fat plaques. However, you should consume moderate amounts of nuts to avoid building up calories.
Fruits: Fruits, such as apples, berries, citrus fruits, and grapes contain pectin, a soluble fiber that lowers the absorption of LDL cholesterol into the blood circulation. Fruits also contain lots of antioxidants, which mop up bad fat from the blood.
Legumes: beans, cowpeas, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, soybeans and kidney beans are rich in soluble fiber, which lowers the absorption of LDL cholesterol. They also help you lose weight because they keep you full for longer after a meal, reducing the amount of food you eat.
Fatty fish: If you’ve ever heard of omega-3 fatty acids, fatty fish have lots of it. Fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon, tuna, and sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, healthy unsaturated fats that lower LDL cholesterol and increase your body’s amounts of good fat.
Vegetables: leafy greens, such as spinach, lettuce, cabbage, and pumpkin are rich in soluble fiber which help to prevent absorption of LDL cholesterol in your gut. Vegetables also contain lots of antioxidants, which help to mop up toxic substances, including bad fat, from circulation.
Another way to lower your LDL cholesterol levels by is reducing your intake sources of saturated fats, such as found in red meat, whole-fat diary, eggs, and vegetable oils including palm oil, cocoa butter, coconut oil, and sweetened beverages.
Cholesterol is at the core of the major causes of death globally; from stroke to heart disease, bad cholesterol build up is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality. It is however, largely preventable. Begin by modifying your diet to ensure you take in lots of healthy nutrients and less of bad fat.
