Today we continue to discover some more no-guilt foods we can enjoy to lower our bad cholesterol, and increase the good HDL Cholesterol. This prevents heart attacks and stroke, and ensures good health.
Spinach
Similar to garlic, the lutein found in spinach prevents cholesterol from attaching to your artery walls. In turn this prevents plaque formation which is the cause of arterial blockage and as a result heart attack and stroke.
Just ½ cup of lutein rich foods every day can be enough to receive the benefits and help protect you against arterial plaque buildup. Baby spinach leaves can also be an easy ingredient for a small meal or mid day snack: just microwave it for three minutes, add some Parmesan and bread and you’ve got yourself a healthy and tasty snack!
Margarine
There are two margarine types that are proven to help lower cholesterol: Benecol and Take Control, so substitute your butter or other margarine for one of these brands. The ingredients in these margarines block absorption of cholesterol in your food, so while it does not actively work to lower existing cholesterol in your body, it manages to lower total cholesterol by preventing further uptake. There is one problem though; these margarines do not just reduce cholesterol uptake, they also lower the uptake of beta carotene, so eat extra carrots to compensate or take a beta carotene supplement.
They are not just marketing, they are recommended by the National Cholesterol Education Program and the American Heart Association.
Mix it up with Nuts
Mixed nuts, especially walnuts, cashews and almonds contain monounsaturated fats. These fats are actually more beneficial to you than following a low-fat diet! Walnuts are also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which help prevent cholesterol from adhering to the walls of your arteries.
Be careful though, nuts are high in calories to you have to moderate your intake as with any other high calorie food. Try eating nuts instead of your regular high fat snack food 3-4 times a week, for example when watching a movie or on the run. Alternatively, two tablespoons of chopped nuts five times a week is sufficient and you can add them to your cereal, veggies, yogurt, stir fries or salad
Check back tomorrow for the last set of cholesterol-fighting foods in this series!
Read more:
Top Cholesterol Fighting Foods – Part I
Top Cholesterol Fighting Foods – Part II
Top Cholesterol Fighting Foods – Part III
Top Cholesterol Fighting Foods – Part IV