Foods that Lower Cholesterol Fast and Lose Weight.
If you want to keep your heart healthy, you need to engage in regular exercise. Joining a gym or participating in sports is the best way to accomplish this. Apart from this, you can follow a healthy diet to avoid high cholesterol levels.
Here are 11 foods that will help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Add these foods to lower LDL cholesterol.
Table of Contents
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a great food to eat in the morning to kick-start your metabolism and gives you energy. It contains soluble fiber which helps to lower bad cholesterol.
Research has shown that oatmeal can help lower bad cholesterol by as much as 14%. You can even add some berries to your oatmeal for added health benefits.
Beans
Beans are also a good low-cholesterol food that you should be eating every day because they contain protein and fiber. They will keep you full and satisfied throughout the morning so you are less likely to reach for something else.
Beans are especially rich in soluble fiber. Soluble fiber absorbs water and forms a gel-like material that helps slow down digestion, making you feel full longer after a meal. This is one reason beans are a useful food for those trying to lose weight.
From navy and kidney beans to lentils, black-eyed peas, garbanzos, and beyond. beans are a very versatile food.
Barley And Other Whole Grains
Whole grains like barley, oats, and oat bran can lower the risk of heart disease. This happens because they are high in soluble fiber.
Eggplant
Eggplant is a good source of dietary and soluble fiber. A 100-gram ration contains 3 grams (g) of fiber. As the American Heart Association (AHA) emphasizes, fiber helps improve blood cholesterol levels.
It also reduces the risk of developing:
- Heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- Stroke
- Obesity
Okra
Okra or lady’s fingers is a warm-season vegetable. People cultivate all over the world.
Researchers have found that a gel called mucilage in okra can help lower cholesterol. This helps cholesterol leave your body through your stool.
Nuts
Several studies indicate that eating almonds, walnuts, peanuts, and other nuts are beneficial to the heart. Eating 2 ounces of nuts a day can lower LDL by 5%. Nuts contain other nutrients that guard the heart in other ways.
All nuts are useful and appropriate for a heart-healthy, cholesterol-lowering diet, including:
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Hazelnuts
- Brazil nuts
- Pistachios
- Pecans
- Cashews
Vegetable Oils
Using liquid vegetable oils for example sunflower, canola, safflower, and others in place of lard, butter, or shortening when cooking or at the table helps lower your LDL.
Soy
In the past, eating soybeans and foods made from them, like tofu and soy milk, was believed to lower cholesterol consumption. Studies show that consuming 25 grams of soy protein a day (10 ounces of tofu or 2 1/2 cups of soy milk) can lower LDL by 5% to 7%.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can be very beneficial to the cardiovascular, reduce LDL levels, and overall health.
Green Tea
Antioxidants in certain teas, for example, green tea, can be very beneficial to health.
Green tea consumption improved cholesterol levels and reduced both total and LDL cholesterol levels.
Leafy Green Vegetables
Vegetables like kale, spinach, and broccoli are low in calories and high in fiber, which can help lower cholesterol and promote weight loss.
Legumes
Legumes, such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas, are high in fiber and protein, which can help lower cholesterol and promote weight loss.
Dark Chocolate
Cocoa can be found in dark chocolate. It contains flavonoids. Flavonoids are a group of compounds in many fruits and vegetables. Their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory stuff can help your health in various ways.
However, try to eat dark chocolate products in moderation, because they are high in saturated fats and sugar.
Related: The High Cholesterol Foods You Need To Avoid
Conclusion
It’s important to note that incorporating these foods into a healthy, balanced diet is key to achieving cholesterol-lowering and weight-loss benefits. In addition to a healthy diet, getting regular physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight is also important for overall health.
A healthy diet can help you lower your cholesterol. In this article, we’ve provided some simple, easy-to-follow dietary changes that will help to keep your cholesterol in check. We hope these tips have been helpful. If there is anything else we can do for you.