Handful of snack food daily 'lowers cholesterol' say experts
Experts at one of the world's top universities have explained the best foods for lowering your cholesterol. Making the changes could reduce the amount of fats in your bloodstream, reducing the chance of clogged arteries and serious consequences such as heart disease and stroke.
Specifically, these foods lower something called LDL, which is the cholesterol-carrying particle that contributes to artery-clogging atherosclerosis, according to experts at Harvard Health Publishing, part of Harvard Medical School.
They said that different foods "lower cholesterol in various ways". Some will give the body soluble fibre, which binds cholesterol and its precursors in the digestive system and drags them out of the body before they get into circulation.
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Others will provide polyunsaturated fats, which directly lower LDL. Some contain plant sterols and stanols, which block the body from absorbing cholesterol.
Foods to lower cholesterol
Oats
The Harvard experts said having a bowl of oatmeal or oat-based cereal for breakfast was a "good first step to lowering your cholesterol". Such foods provide 1g to 2g of soluble fibre. By adding a banana or some strawberries, you can boost this by another 0.5g or so.
Barley and other whole grains
Much like oats, these can also help lower the risk of heart disease by providing soluble fibre.
Beans
The experts wrote: "Beans are especially rich in soluble fibre. They also take a while for the body to digest, meaning you feel full for longer after a meal. That's one reason beans are a useful food for folks trying to lose weight. With so many choices — from navy and kidney beans to lentils, garbanzos, black-eyed peas, and beyond — and so many ways to prepare them, beans are a very versatile food."
Nuts
They said many studies had highlighted the fact that nuts such as almonds, walnuts, peanuts and others were good for the heart. A handful a day - around two ounces - can help lower LDL by around 5%. Nuts also have other nutrients that help protect the heart.
Vegetable oils
The experts recommended liquid vegetable oils such as canola, sunflower, safflower and others in place of butter or lard.
Apples, grapes, strawberries, citrus fruits
These fruits are rich in pectin, a type of soluble fibre that lowers LDL.
Eggplant and okra
The experts said these were two low-calorie vegetables that were good sources of soluble fibre.
Soy
The experts said eating soybeans and foods made from them, like tofu and soy milk, lowers cholesterol. Consuming 25g of soy protein a day can lower LDL by 5% to 6%.
Fatty fish
Fish two or three times a week is recommended to reduce LDL. Firstly by replacing meat, which has saturated fats that increase LDL, and secondly by delivering its own LDL-reducing omega-3 fats.
Foods fortified with sterols and stanols
The Harvard experts said: "Sterols and stanols extracted from plants gum up the body's ability to absorb cholesterol from food. Companies are adding them to foods ranging from margarine and granola bars to orange juice and chocolate. They're also available as supplements. Getting two grams of plant sterols or stanols a day can lower LDL cholesterol by about 10%."
Fibre supplements
The expert said these were the "least appealing" way to get soluble fibre. However, two teaspoons a day of psyllium, which is found in Metamucil and other bulk-forming laxatives, provides about 4g of soluble fibre.
Overall, the experts recommend adding several of these foods to your diet in different ways to get the benefit. A mostly vegetarian diet substantially lowers LDL and blood pressure. Lots of fruit and veg, whole grains and protein mostly from plants was recommended.
They concluded: "Of course, shifting to a cholesterol-lowering diet takes more attention than popping a daily statin. It means expanding the variety of foods you usually put in your shopping cart and getting used to new textures and flavours. But it's a "natural" way to lower cholesterol, and it avoids the risk of muscle problems and other side effects that plague some people who take statins.
"Just as important, a diet that is heavy on fruits, vegetables, beans, and nuts is good for the body in ways beyond lowering cholesterol. It keeps blood pressure in check. It helps arteries stay flexible and responsive. It's good for bones and digestive health, for vision and mental health."