Foods That Raise Good Cholesterol Levels

The waxy substance that is found in your cells is called cholesterol. Your body needs cholesterol to produce cell membranes, bile salt, sex hormones and vitamin D. Produced mainly by the liver, bad cholesterol can build up in the body's arteries, leaving plaque that could eventually block the flow of blood to the heart. Raising your good cholesterol level is an important step in keeping your heart healthy.

Good Cholesterol and Bad Cholesterol

• There are two kinds of cholesterol produced by the body: the low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or the bad cholesterol, and the high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or good cholesterol. Doctor often advise patients to raise their HDL, or good cholesterol, but lower the LDL, or bad cholesterol. LDL carries cholesterol to all your body organs and can get stuck in the arteries and eventually lead to heart disease. On the other hand, HDL picks up the extra bad cholesterol in the blood and takes it back to the liver for excretion. You should aim for a high level of HDL and a low level of LDL.

Soluble Fiber

• Soluble fiber is a good choice for increasing HDL cholesterol, as well as lowering LDL and total cholesterol levels. You can find soluble fiber in flax seed, carrots, apples, oranges, dried beans, barley, nuts, and oat bran. Because soluble fiber can help keep the stomach feeling full for longer, it can also help you lose weight which will further improve your cholesterol numbers.

Soy Products

• Eating two servings of soy products may also help increase HDL cholesterol while also lowering LDL cholesterol. This double benefit can be achieved by eating foods such as tofu and tempeh. Both can be used as a substitute for meat products. This also saves you from consuming higher levels of saturated fat which are found in large amounts in red meats. Soy lunch meat or tofu hot dogs can also help.

Monounsaturated Fats

• Another way to increase HDL levels is by consuming more monounsaturated fats. You can find high levels of these good fats in olive oil, canola oil, nuts, and avocados. Using olive oil instead of oils high in saturated fats (such as vegetable oil) is an excellent way to improve your overall cholesterol numbers, particularly your HDL. Eating nuts, such as walnuts and pistachios, as snacks instead of potato chips can also help improve your cholesterol.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

• Omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to enhance the effects of HDL. Omega 3 fatty acids has been found in most fishes has been known to lower the bad cholesterol in your body. Fish like sardines, tuna, salmon, herring, and mackerel contain a great amount of omega3 fatty acids. Oils such as canola and soy are rich sources of omega 3 fatty acids. By-products of soy, like tofu, are high in omega 3 fatty acids.