Foods That Help Raise LDL
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What is LDL Cholesterol?
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LDL cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein, is known more commonly as "bad cholesterol." According to the American Heart Association, having an LDL reading that is too high can indicate that LDL cholesterol is building up on the walls of arteries and eventually can lead to heart attack and stroke.
Trans Fat
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In general, foods with trans fat are most commonly linked with elevated levels of LDL cholesterol. Trans fat is particularly bad because it not only raises your LDL, but also lowers your HDL, or "good" cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol, which is commonly listed on food labels, can also raise LDL.
Foods to Avoid
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Trans fat can be found in many commercial baked goods, such as doughnuts, cookies, crackers and cakes. They are also commonly found in fried foods, but recently, many national fast food chains have switched to trans fat-free oils.
Foods that Lower LDL
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Replace high trans fat foods with fruits, vegetables and whole-grains, and switch from butter to margarine and to non-hydrogenated oils such as olive and canola.
Other Foods that Lower Cholesterol
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According to the Mayo Clinic, the top five foods to lower cholesterol are oatmeal and oat bran, almonds and walnuts, fish high in omega-3 fatty acids (like salmon), olive oil and foods that have been fortified with stanols or sterols, such as some margarine and yogurt products.
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