by Jack Cox
However it’s probably fair to say that the subject has been hyped up a bit. Joseph Pizzorno wrote in his article The Vilification of Cholesterol (for Profit?), published in the National Library Of Medicine
"Cholesterol—a molecule critical to health—has been demonized in conventional medicine and the popular press as the major cause of heart disease. The research is clear that elevated cholesterol is indeed associated with cardiovascular disease. The real problem is not cholesterol but rather oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) cholesterol. Elevated cholesterol typically also means elevated oxidized cholesterol, so it is, in reality, an indirect measure of the true problem (cooking cholesterol-rich foods in the presence of oxygen, excessive oxidative stress in the body, inadequate consumption of antioxidants, etc), "
As cholesterol that accumulates in blood vessel walls is a part of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), LDL cholesterol is often regarded as "bad cholesterol".
To maintain good health and decrease the risk of developing heart disease, cholesterol, especially the "bad cholesterol", must be at safe levels. In our contemporary society, where hypercholesterolaemia and diet-related ailments are common, knowledge on the effects of specific foods on people's health is important.
However, many consumers are overwhelmed by the huge number of messages that are sent and contradicted by health experts. A large variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, cereals, and cocoa products have been highlighted as foods lowering the levels of "bad cholesterol"; these foods are generally rich in various bioactive and antioxidant substances.
Some people also recommend soy products but a quick note about the relationship between soy and weight gain before moving on: In 2008, Zhan et. all. conducted a combined analysis of 19 clinical trials with 28 intervention arms. In the meta-analysis study, 1,134 participants were assigned to soy isoflavones or soy protein supplementations.
The result demonstrated that soy protein was significantly associated with increasing weight. The conclusion of the meta-analysis study was that adding soy to a regular diet without a change in the quantity of consumed food would lead to increased weight and body fat rather than weight loss.
Cholesterol may accumulate in the vessel walls and obstruct the blood flow. When cholesterol accumulates in the large blood vessels, they become narrowed and blood flow, hence, oxygen supply to the body may decrease.
Most often, one or more of the coronary arteries that supply the muscles of the heart with oxygen become narrowed; if one of such arteries becomes obstructed, oxygen supply to the heart muscles decreases, which may lead to a heart attack.
Moreover, when the narrowed vessel supplies blood to the brain, this may lead to a stroke.
Key Nutrients and Compounds in Foods That Lower Bad Cholesterol:
In this section, the most promising foods and food components found to reduce blood cholesterol levels are discussed. Key health effects observed in research are also mentioned, including improved blood sugar and insulin control.
Soluble fibre has been showing a lot of promise for its potential health benefits in recent research. In some studies, people with higher intakes of soluble fibre from foods like oats have seen their levels of bad cholesterol significantly reduce.
Closely related to soluble fibre are compounds found in foods like citrus fruits. These compounds help to alter the expression of genes that control the synthesis of cholesterol. These compounds are closely related to cholesterol-lowering drugs that are called statins, but without the dangerous side effects.
Dietary cholesterol and the saturated and trans fats found in foods work together to increase levels of bad cholesterol. In contrast, some nutrients and other compounds found in certain foods work together to lower levels of bad cholesterol.
Some of these foods, like kale and broccoli, are well known for their potential in helping to lower bad cholesterol levels, while others are not as well known.
Saturated fatty acids (SFA) increase low-density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol levels. Trans fatty acids both increase LDL cholesterol and decrease high-density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol levels.
If only one dietary change is to be made to decrease coronary heart disease (CHD) risk, it would be to lower trans and SFA intakes with a more general change of not eating too much of these fats, while ensuring a nutritionally balanced diet.
The Six Best Natural Ways of Lowering Cholesterol:
The best approach is to eat these natural cholesterol-reducing foods to boost our bodies' defence system. And if we already have high cholesterol levels, we should eat these natural foods persistently.
Nature is a great provider, and when it comes to lowering cholesterol levels, it has provided us with several natural foods that can do the job naturally without becoming dependant on Big Pharma.
These natural foods will reduce bad cholesterol and increase levels of good cholesterol. They are easily available, effective, safe, and cheap. And they are all delicious!
Remember that real food does not have ingredients, they are the ingredients, so don’t go looking for ready made solutions on supermarket shelves.
1) Try eating white meats, beans, pulses, nuts, and seeds as sources of protein instead of red meat.
2) Non-GMO oatmeal, oat bran and high-fibre foods are a good choice. Oatmeal has soluble fibre, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol. Soluble fibre is also found in such foods as kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears.
Soluble fibre can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Five to 10 grams or more of soluble fibre a day decreases your LDL cholesterol.
3) Eat lots of organic fruit and vegetables. There are some vegetable fibres that can help you to reduce your high levels of cholesterol.
One of my favourites is okra, or lady's fingers, is a warm-season vegetable that people cultivate worldwide.
4) Fresh, wild caught, oily fish, like mackerel and salmon, from your local fishmonger, will help keep your cholesterol levels down. Fatty fish has high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce your triglycerides — a type of fat found in blood. In people who have already had heart attacks, omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of sudden death.
Omega-3 fatty acids don't affect LDL cholesterol levels but may help lower triglycerides and increase HDL, the good cholesterol. But because of those acids' other heart benefits, the American Heart Association recommends eating at least two servings of fish a week. Baking or grilling the fish avoids adding unhealthy fats.
5) Acquire the taste for clean filtered water. Soft drinks, fruit juices, and alcoholic beverages are rich in calories and can lead to obesity. Some other great drinks for cholesterol management include green tea, pomegranate juice, citrus juice, and plant-based smoothies.
6) Choose olive oil instead of lard and margarine.
Increasing the intake of some natural cholesterol lowering foods can result in a decrease in the average blood cholesterol level.
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