Levels of cholesterol in the blood depends on what you eat and how the body makes cholesterol in the liver. Having too much cholesterol in the blood is not a disease, but can lead to hardening and narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis) in the cardiovascular system.
There are several types of foods that effectively increased the good cholesterol (high-density lipoproteins / HDL). HDL serves to remove excess cholesterol from cells and artery walls and carry cholesterol back to the liver for disposal. Therefore, awareness is needed early to start picking out healthy foods consumed. Listed below are some foods that contain unsaturated fats making it very effective in lowering cholesterol levels, namely:
Pulses. Walnuts, almonds and other nuts may reduce blood cholesterol. Research has shown that eating a few walnuts every day can lower your cholesterol as much as 27 percent. According to the oversight agency the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), consuming about a handful (42.5 grams) of almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachio nuts and walnuts, can reduce the risk of heart disease. The content of Omega-3 fats and antioxidants in nuts work to rehabilitate damage to arteries caused by saturated fats.
Green tea. Research in Japan found that theanine in green tea beneficial to increase good cholesterol and prevents the formation of bad cholesterol. You should drink at least four cups of sugar-free green tea every day to get the benefits.
Tomatoes. Drinking two glasses of tomato juice a day lowered bad cholesterol from your body significantly.
Fruit Wine. Red grapes increase good cholesterol. It is advisable to drink two glasses of grapefruit juice every day.
Blueberry. Blueberries contain a large number of substances that fight bad cholesterol. Compounds in blueberries (pterostilbene) may help lower cholesterol as effectively as commercial drugs with fewer side effects.
Plum. Such as blueberries, plums have a huge amount of material that lowers cholesterol.
Soy products. Soy products like soy milk, tofu and tempeh are not only reduce your cholesterol, but also rich in protein.
Garlic. Garlic has a positive effect on your bad cholesterol while maintaining good cholesterol. Many clinical trials have looked at the role and benefits of garlic on cardiovascular disease, mainly by lowering total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. American Dietetic Association recommends that the health benefits of garlic, we should consume 600-900 mg (about 1 clove fresh) per day.
Olive oil. Olive oil can reduce bad cholesterol from your body. Researchers at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain) found that olive oil enriched diet helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL). Coconut Oil. Research Dr. Mary Enig MS of Nutritional Sciences and other research noting that natural coconut oil (non-hydrogenated) increase good cholesterol (HDL).
Avocado. Unsaturated fat in avocados is the kind of healthy because it can increase your HDL cholesterol levels.
Flaxseed oil. Flaxseed oil can lower blood pressure in men with high cholesterol. In the three-month study of 59 middle-aged men, those who consume flaxseed oil supplements every day decreased blood pressure significantly.
Fish and fish oil. A study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found that people with type 2 diabetes who consumed high doses of fish oil over nine weeks lowered the concentration of cholesterol in their bodies.
Pomegranates. A study by the National Academy of Sciences (USA) showed that pomegranate juice reduces cholesterol plaque buildup and increase production of nitric oxide which helps reduce arterial plaque.
Yogurt with probiotics. Several studies have shown that the probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus reuteri actually help lower cholesterol. They work by preventing the reabsorption of cholesterol back into the bloodstream.
Besides food, the best way to lower cholesterol is through exercise. With exercise, someone will be able to lower the bad cholesterol in the body and life becomes longer than choosing to not do anything but be aware of the danger by not making changes to your lifestyle.