When talking about health, cholesterol is often at the forefront as it is often associated with risk of heart problems such as stroke and heart attack but people are becoming confused with regards to LDL (bad) cholesterol and HDL (good) cholesterol. Some say that cholesterol is no longer a factor in heart problems but there are conflicting reports that high cholesterol levels can trigger high blood pressure and heart attack. So which is the truth?
Truth be told, cholesterol plays a role in our health as it helps repair our arterial walls and production of hormones. But too much can be bad. This is why, it is important that you find ways on regulating your cholesterol levels so that you won’t be at risk of suffering from heart related problems like heart attack and stroke.
How can you do this? By choosing foods that are good for your health like the ones below.
- Yogurt. Yogurt contains the probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum which can help improve your cholesterol levels. It can also improve your blood sugar and homocysteine levels which are both important to regulating your cardiovascular health.
- Drink more water. Increasing your water intake has a positive effect on your cholesterol levels. Drinking up to 5 or more glasses of water per day can reduce your cholesterol up to 50% or more. This also helps you to lose weight.
- Cilantro. Adding fresh cilantro to your dish not only gives your meal a nice flavor but it can also provide protection against heart disease. This is due to the fact that it helps clear up your arteries from fatty deposits and prevents plaque from building up. Cilantro also contains quercetin which slows down oxidation.
- Grapefruit. Eating grapefruit, regardless of whether you’re going to go for the white or ruby, can help reduce cholesterol levels. This means that your risk of heart problems will be significantly reduced plus grapefruit is found to protect you against cancer and can boost weight loss too.
- Ginger. Ginger is also another kind of food that can help reduce your cholesterol levels. To get the full benefits of ginger, you should take 1000mg per day but a tablespoon of ginger added to soups, stews, stir-fry, and other dishes will suffice.
- Green tea. If you need another excuse to drink tea then you will find that this beverage can help bring your high cholesterol levels down. Green tea contains antioxidants and flavonols that can reduce the effects of free radicals while helping you keep your cardiovascular health in good condition. You can drink a cup or two of green tea per day to reap some of its benefits.
These are just a few kinds of foods that are found to be helpful in reducing and regulating cholesterol levels so that your risk of suffering from heart problems will be significantly reduced. The best thing about these foods is that they are easy to incorporate into one’s diet so you can start with them today.
Sources: speakzeasy.wordpress.com
