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The Best Food Sources to Lower Cholestrol

While your diet may be the reason you have high cholesterol levels, it can also be the way to lower it. If you make gradual sensible changes to your eating habits, it will often do the trick of bringing your cholesterol levels down to healthy levels.

  1. Benefits

    • By eating foods that lower cholesterol, you can avoid health problems associated with high cholesterol, including heart disease, heart attacks, and possibly even Alzheimer's disease.

    Types of Cholesterol

    • There are three main types of cholesterol: Low density lipoproteins (LDL), or "bad" cholesterol, high density lipoproteins (HDL), or "good" cholesterol, and the oft-overlooked very low density lipoproteins (VLDL), which is similar to LDL cholesterol. LDL and VLDL cholesterols can build up on artery walls, eventually clogging them, while HDL cholesterols help to keep the cardiovascular system clean.

    Types of Foods

    • Cholesterol-lowering foods come in many types, but the best include oatmeal, nuts, omega 3-rich fish (albacore tuna, salmon), olive oil, and foods fortified with plant sterols or stanols (margarines, orange juice and yogurt drinks).

    Misconceptions

    • It's often thought that poor diet and exercise is the only reason for having high cholesterol, but there is also a potential genetic predisposition to it. Most of the cholesterol in your system at any given time is produced by your body.

    Warning

    • If you have high cholesterol, or think that you may, consult your physician to have your levels checked.

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