Dietary Changes that Will Help You Lower Your Cholesterol
If you have high cholesterol levels, this can have long-term effects on your health. That’s why you need to think about what you can do to lower your cholesterol. This is something that you can do easily enough if you’re willing to make changes to your diet and the way you live your life. It’s the food that you put into your body that dictates your cholesterol levels, so it’s this that has to change.
There are many ways in which you can change your diet for the better. But below you will find out more about the very specific changes that will have a positive impact on your cholesterol. These are changes that you will implement over the long-term. There are no quick fixes when it comes to cholesterol.
Eat More Fiber
Fiber is great because it helps to absorb some of the cholesterol in your body. All the research has found that when people up the amount of fiber in their diets, their cholesterol levels drop. So, you should make sure that there is space in your diet for foods like oatmeal, beans and fruit. You should slowly add more and more fiber to your diet so that your body can adjust to this slowly. If you make the change too rapidly, it could have a negative effect on your body. Things like prunes and wholemeal bread are good items to start with if you want to boost your fiber intake.
Switch the Mayo You Use
If you’re one of those people that loves mayo, this might be having a damaging effect on your cholesterol. Mayo is one of the things that causes your cholesterol levels to rise. But you can switch to a kind of mayo that doesn’t use eggs in its recipe though. This is great for your cholesterol levels, and it doesn’t mean that the taste has to be affected. There are many brands out there that cater to people who want to have a healthy mayo that doesn’t cause their cholesterol to rise. For example, you can find Hampton Creek on Facebook and see what they have to offer.
Eat Plenty of Fish
You should try to eat fish at least two or three times a day because it’s so good for your cholesterol. It’s full of Omega 3, which is great for your heart. But what’s even more important is that fish is far better for your cholesterol levels than meat. If you swapped red meat for fish a few times a week, your cholesterol levels would quickly start to drop. And that’s exactly what you’re trying to make happen. The reason why fish is better for your cholesterol than red meat can be explained by the saturated fat levels. There is far less saturated fat in fish than in meat.
Stop Consuming Trans Fats
Trans fats are one of the most dangerous kinds of fats that you can put into your body. But they’re still found in many processed food products, so you need to be careful. You should also check the label and see how much of these the food contains. But, ideally, you should really think about stopping consuming these trans fats altogether. They raise your cholesterol a lot, so it’s probably safest to stay away from them as much as possible. They might also be called partially hydrogenated fats, so look out for those words when you are reading labels and packaging.
Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil
If you use heavy dressings in salads, or you fry with butter, then you will not be helping your cholesterol. These things will all cause it to rise. And that’s why you should think about using extra virgin olive oil for things like this instead. Olive oil is packed full of good fats which you don’t get from things like butter, so making the switch is logical. These then benefit your heart. And the extra virgin varieties are less processed, so they’re even better for your heart and body generally. By making these simple changes, your cholesterol will benefit massively, and it can be done so easily.
Snack on Nuts
If you’re looking for a good snack that will be positive for your cholesterol levels, then you should turn to nuts. Nuts contain sterols; that’s why they’re so good for your cholesterol. They manage to absorb that cholesterol, meaning that it will decrease. Nuts are high in calories though, so you still need to be careful about how many of them you eat. Having said that, they are much better for you than things like biscuits, which are high in calories and have no real benefits. As long as you eat them in moderation, they can be exactly what you need when you are looking to lower your cholesterol.
Use More Spices
This might sound like an odd suggestion, but it really does have an impact on your cholesterol levels. Using some spices will give you a much better chance of improving your cholesterol. There are many simple ways of adding extra spices to your diet so you should take advantage of them. Simply adding some cinnamon to your cappuccino is a good idea. You should also do some of your own cooking because this gives you the chance to add some spices to your food. Garlic, coriander, ginger and cumin are all good spices to use in your food. They add flavour to your food, and they’re good for you.
Lose Weight
Weight loss is another good way to make sure that your cholesterol levels decline gradually. If you make many of the changes above, you should lose a little weight anyway. But you will also need to combine this with a calorie counting regime and some exercise if you want to lose some weight. By losing weight, you will give yourself a much better chance of lowering your cholesterol. On average, you can lower your cholesterol level by about 10% simply by slimming down and losing a stone. This applies to anyone who is currently overweight. It’s not an easy undertaking, but it’s definitely worth trying.