Foods That Lower Cholesterol Do Nicely To Stave Off Your Heart Problem

happinesslifetime.com Foods that lower cholesterol protect your heart and can prevent a heart attack.

I've 5 superstar foods that do this job nicely for you.

1. Oatmeal And Oat Bran

These 2 contain soluble fiber which lowers your LDL (low-density lipoprotein), or popularly known as the "bad cholesterol".

Soluble fiber works great because it reduces the absorption of cholesterol in your intestines as it binds bile (which has cholesterol) and your body excretes it.

If you consume 5-10 grams of soluble fiber per day, you reduce your LDL by 5%.

So eat 1.5 cups of oatmeal per day which provides 4.5 grams of fiber- enough to reduce your cholesterol.

2. Fish

Fish is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids.

Studies have shown that if you eat fish regularly, you'll get the heart-healthy benefits as the omega-3 fatty acids in fish have triglycerie-lowering and blood pressure-reducing effect and they also lessen your risk of blood clots.

Eat at least 2 servings of fish per week. You can eat a variety of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as trout, sardines, mackerel, tuna and salmon.

3. Foods Fortified With Plant Sterols or Stanols

Sterols or stanols are substances that are found in plants that help block the absorption of cholesterol. There are now foods that have been fortified with these substances.

If you eat foods fortified with plant sterols, you can reduce your LDL by 10%.

The amount you need per day is at least 2 grams, which equals to 8-oz servings of plant cholesterol.

The American Heart Association recommends that you only eat foods fortified with plant sterols if you actually have high levels of LDL.

4. Walnuts, Almonds, Pistachios

Studies show that these 3 nuts can greatly lower your blood cholesterol. They are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, a healthier source of fat that's kinder to your heart.

If you eat a cholesterol-lowering diet where 20% of the calories are sourced from either walnuts, almonds or pistachios, you could reduce your LDL by 12%.

How much of these foods you need per day? As nuts are high in calories, hence a small portion of them is sufficient for your dietary need.

5. Yogurt

Yogurt with live active cultures (probiotics such as Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Lactobacillus Reuteri) help lower cholesterol. They work by preventing the re-absorption of cholesterol back in to your blood stream.

These foods are good for your heart. But I think the best heart-healthy diet is this - reduce or avoid intake of saturated and trans fats in your diet. They are the bad fats that increase your LDL.

Cecelia Yap is an avid exerciser and author of the popular exercise website: perfect-body-toning.com - a web site born out of her passion which she successfully turns into a profitable business

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