23 foods to lower cholesterol

Cholesterol is one of this generation's greatest health threats. While the causes for high cholesterol are many, there are simple ways to beat this.

One of them is by eating right.

In the slides to follow you will see that the solution to cholesterol lies right in your kitchen.

1. Monosaturated fats helps lower cholesterol

Avocados, Peanut butter, Hazelnuts, Almonds and Pecans contain heart-healthy MUFA, which helps lower Cholesterol levels. Olive and Peanut oils are also rich in monounsaturates. Note all are high in fat calories.

2. Fatty Fish (Omega-3) helps lower Cholesterol

Fatty fish like Salmon, Tuna, Halibut are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids that has many heart protective properties and also helps improve your blood cholesterol profile.. Just be sure to bake or grill the fish, not fry it.

3. Nuts help lower Cholesterol

Nuts contain plant sterols and monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which lower the LDL (bad) cholesterol. Nuts (Almonds, Walnuts, Pistachio, Pecans) are rich in heart healthy - fiber, Vitamin E and Selenium.

4. Grains and Oats help lower Cholesterol

Soluble fiber found in oats and oat bran, barley, brown rice, helps lower Cholesterol. Soluble fiber binds to bile acids and cholesterol an helps their excretion. Beans, apples, carrots also contain soluble fiber.

5. Beans and lentils help lower cholesterol

Beans, lentils and peas are good source of soluble fibre which helps lower cholesterol levels. Beans and pulses are high in fibre, high in protein and low in fat. Beans also contain lecithin, a nutrient that lowers cholesterol.

6. Fibre in fruits help lower cholesterol

Apples, Pears, Oranges and Grapefruit contain soluble fibre, which helps lower cholesterol. Include other soluble fibre rich foods such as psyllium, barley, apples, pears, kidney beans...

7. Antioxidants prevents cholesterol damage

Fruits like Blueberries, Cranberries and Grapes, protect LDL (bad) Cholesterol from being damaged. Only damaged Cholesterol forms sticky plaques that may lead to development of Atherosclerosis and increase risk of heart disease.

8. Plant sterols help lower cholesterol

Foods that are fortified with plant sterols and stanols, substances naturally found in many plant foods, unds help block the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream. Foods such as orange juice and yogurt drinks are often fortified with sterols and stanols.

9. Walnuts help lower cholesterol

Walnuts contain monounsaturated fats that helps reduce total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Omega-3 fats and antioxidants in Walnuts work to reverse the arterial damage caused by saturated fats.

10. Blueberries help lower cholesterol

Blueberries contain antioxidant Pterostilbene that effectively hels lower Cholesterol levels. Blueberries are also rich in soluble fibre and other powerful heart healthy vitamins.

11. Salmon helps lower cholesterol

Salmon or fatty fish is a good source of protein and omega 3 fatty acids - which has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. Omega 3 fatty acids are noted for its triglyceride-lowering power.

12. Garlic helps lower cholesterol

Many studies have demonstrated that eating garlic regularly reduces LDL (bad) cholesterol and raises HDL (good) level as it conains active substance called Allicin.

13. Avocado helps lower cholesterol

Avocados are rich in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that helps lower cholesterol.

14. Black beans help lower cholesterol

Black beans are high in dietary fibre, which binds with Cholesterol and helps excrete it from the body thus lowering Colesterol levels.

15. Apples help lower cholesterol

Apple is rich in Pectin (fibre), powerful antioxidants like quercetin, catechin, phloridzin and chlorogenic acid that help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and help increase HDL (good) levels.

16. Green, leafy vegetables help lower cholesterols

According to many studies individuals who 4 or more servings of fruits and vegetables have lower LDL cholesterol levels than those who ate fewer servings. Eat dark green, leafy of veeguies like Spinach, Collard greens and Swiss chard.

17. Raw carrots help lower cholesterol

Raw carrots are rich in a fibre called pectin that helps lower cholesterol.  Other fruits that contain pectin, including apples, citrus fruits, strawberries, raspberries, black berries...

18. Sesame seeds helps lower cholesterol

Sesame seeds are rich in phytosterols that help reduce LDL (bad) Cholesterol levels significantly. Other foods that contain phytosterols include celery, lettuce, asparagus, spinach, tomatoes, ginger, squash and strawberries.

19. Pistachios help lower cholesterol

Pistachios significantly lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.

20. Cranberries help lower cholesterol

Antioxidants in Cranberries help slow down LDL cholesterol oxidation, and help raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels.

21. Pomegranate juice and cholesterol damage

Antioxidants in Pomegranate help reduces cholesterol plaque buildup and increases nitric oxide production that reduces arterial plaque.

22. Shitake mushrooms helps lower cholesterol

The active component in shitake mushrooms in eritadenine helps lower cholesterol levels. Shitake mushrooms also contains lentinan, which not only lowers cholesterol, but has anti-cancer properties and helps boost the immune system

23. Prunes help lower cholesterol

Prunes are a wonderful source of antioxidants and fibre, which is known to reduce LDL cholesterol.