How to Get Bad Cholesterol Down
Cut high-cholesterol foods from your diet., Try adding whey protein to your diet., Add soluble fiber to your diet., Use more olive oil., Add some avocado to your salad., Grab a handful of nuts for a quick snack., Feast on fish.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Cut high-cholesterol foods from your diet.
Consume fewer foods derived from animals, like meats, dairy products, and eggs.
These can be high in saturated fats and bad cholesterol.
Even if you’ve been eating unhealthy for years, it’s never too late to modify your diet and make healthy changes.Saturated fats are solid at room temperature as opposed to healthier unhydrogenated fats, as those found in olive oil.
Avoid eating trans fats, too, like margarine, packaged cookies, cakes, and crackers.
These items raise LDL and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which is known as good cholesterol.
Trans fats may appear on labels as "partially hydrogenated oil." A food that claims to be "trans fat-free" may in fact contain up to
0.5 grams of partially hydrogenated oils per serving.
Check the serving size as well, as people often consume more than one serving in a sitting. -
Step 2: Try adding whey protein to your diet.
Whey protein is one of the two proteins found in dairy products.
Adding it to your diet can offer the health benefits of dairy, without the added cholesterol and fat that can be found in many dairy products.
Powdered whey protein is available at grocery and health food stores.
Instructions on the product's label will tell you how to use it.Choose low-fat dairy when consuming whey based products, as these contain less animal-based fat (saturated fat). , Soluble fiber helps reduce absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream, so add high-fiber foods to your diet.
The best strategy to add fiber to your meals is by eating more grains and fruits.
Consider choices like oatmeal, oat bran, whole grain cold cereals, kidney beans, apple, pears, bananas, and prunes.5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber per day effectively decreases your LDL cholesterol levels.
Every 1 1/2 cups of oatmeal, for example, equals 6 grams of fiber. , Olive oil contains antioxidants, which help lower bad cholesterol.
Swap out other fats in your diet, butter in particular, for about 2 tablespoons of olive oil daily.
Extra-virgin olive oil is considered best, as it is the least processed.Swap out creamier, fattier salad dressings for a little oil and vinegar.
Use extra virgin olive oil, or another healthy cooking oil like canola, to sauté veggies, baste meat, and other cooking needs. , Avocados are packed with nutrients, and it’s recently been suggested that an avocado a day can lower bad cholesterol and improve heart health.
Slice up half or a quarter of an avocado, and add it to sandwiches, a salad, or eat it as a side dish.
Guacamole is great, too, but skip out on the chips, which can be high in saturated fats and sodium.
Instead, try out a crunchy veggie, like cucumber or carrot.Keep in mind avocados are high in calories.
There are 9 calories per gram of fat, compared to 4 calories per gram in protein and carbohydrates, so a little can go a long way.
Avocado, and other foods containing poly- and mono-unsaturated fats, increases your "good" cholesterol. , Nuts are a great, fast, and healthy source of energy, and a great alternative to other snacks that might be high in unhealthy fats or cholesterol.
Make sure, of course, that they are not salted or sugar coated.
However, since nuts are high in calories, it’s best to eat only a few at a time.Walnuts, pecans, and almonds are all heart-healthy nuts. , Trade that hamburger or steak for salmon, halibut, albacore tuna, trout, or mackerel.
Swapping out red meat for fish can lower your blood pressure and increase your overall health.
Fatty fish contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which don’t reduce LDL levels themselves, but do reduce the risk of a blood clot or heart attack.Bake or grill to cook, so you don’t add any unhealthy fats.
If you don’t like fish, you can also get omega-3 fatty acids from canola oil or ground flaxseed, or add a fish supplement to your regimen.
Always consult your doctor before taking supplements to make sure it’s appropriate and to verify the proper amount you should take. -
Step 3: Add soluble fiber to your diet.
-
Step 4: Use more olive oil.
-
Step 5: Add some avocado to your salad.
-
Step 6: Grab a handful of nuts for a quick snack.
-
Step 7: Feast on fish.
Detailed Guide
Consume fewer foods derived from animals, like meats, dairy products, and eggs.
These can be high in saturated fats and bad cholesterol.
Even if you’ve been eating unhealthy for years, it’s never too late to modify your diet and make healthy changes.Saturated fats are solid at room temperature as opposed to healthier unhydrogenated fats, as those found in olive oil.
Avoid eating trans fats, too, like margarine, packaged cookies, cakes, and crackers.
These items raise LDL and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which is known as good cholesterol.
Trans fats may appear on labels as "partially hydrogenated oil." A food that claims to be "trans fat-free" may in fact contain up to
0.5 grams of partially hydrogenated oils per serving.
Check the serving size as well, as people often consume more than one serving in a sitting.
Whey protein is one of the two proteins found in dairy products.
Adding it to your diet can offer the health benefits of dairy, without the added cholesterol and fat that can be found in many dairy products.
Powdered whey protein is available at grocery and health food stores.
Instructions on the product's label will tell you how to use it.Choose low-fat dairy when consuming whey based products, as these contain less animal-based fat (saturated fat). , Soluble fiber helps reduce absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream, so add high-fiber foods to your diet.
The best strategy to add fiber to your meals is by eating more grains and fruits.
Consider choices like oatmeal, oat bran, whole grain cold cereals, kidney beans, apple, pears, bananas, and prunes.5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber per day effectively decreases your LDL cholesterol levels.
Every 1 1/2 cups of oatmeal, for example, equals 6 grams of fiber. , Olive oil contains antioxidants, which help lower bad cholesterol.
Swap out other fats in your diet, butter in particular, for about 2 tablespoons of olive oil daily.
Extra-virgin olive oil is considered best, as it is the least processed.Swap out creamier, fattier salad dressings for a little oil and vinegar.
Use extra virgin olive oil, or another healthy cooking oil like canola, to sauté veggies, baste meat, and other cooking needs. , Avocados are packed with nutrients, and it’s recently been suggested that an avocado a day can lower bad cholesterol and improve heart health.
Slice up half or a quarter of an avocado, and add it to sandwiches, a salad, or eat it as a side dish.
Guacamole is great, too, but skip out on the chips, which can be high in saturated fats and sodium.
Instead, try out a crunchy veggie, like cucumber or carrot.Keep in mind avocados are high in calories.
There are 9 calories per gram of fat, compared to 4 calories per gram in protein and carbohydrates, so a little can go a long way.
Avocado, and other foods containing poly- and mono-unsaturated fats, increases your "good" cholesterol. , Nuts are a great, fast, and healthy source of energy, and a great alternative to other snacks that might be high in unhealthy fats or cholesterol.
Make sure, of course, that they are not salted or sugar coated.
However, since nuts are high in calories, it’s best to eat only a few at a time.Walnuts, pecans, and almonds are all heart-healthy nuts. , Trade that hamburger or steak for salmon, halibut, albacore tuna, trout, or mackerel.
Swapping out red meat for fish can lower your blood pressure and increase your overall health.
Fatty fish contains high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which don’t reduce LDL levels themselves, but do reduce the risk of a blood clot or heart attack.Bake or grill to cook, so you don’t add any unhealthy fats.
If you don’t like fish, you can also get omega-3 fatty acids from canola oil or ground flaxseed, or add a fish supplement to your regimen.
Always consult your doctor before taking supplements to make sure it’s appropriate and to verify the proper amount you should take.
About the Author
Andrea Gray
Brings years of experience writing about crafts and related subjects.
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