Sunday 27 December 2009

Do You Know Them? Five Healthy Foods That Lower Cholesterol

By Marie Nolan

One of the best ways to either lower your cholesterol level or stop it from getting out of hand to begin with is to make sure that low cholesterol foods are an important part of your daily eating habits.

Your own body produces cholesterol, it is a fatty material known as a lipid. Cholesterol is produced by your liver and can be over-produced by the unhealthy fatty foods that we eat. Keep in mind, though, that cholesterol is in reality necessary for our bodies to perform as they should. However, too much cholesterol is quite bad and is a widespread cause of coronary attacks and can increase the chance of strokes.

That being said, what are the top five low cholesterol foods that you ought to be consuming to maintain heart-healthy cholesterol levels?

Fruit and Vegetables

No one needs to be convinced of the heart-healthy, low fat low cholesterol effects of fruit and vegetables. Vegetables particularly (since they don't have quite as much natural sugar as fruit does). It is just important not to add cream, butter or fatty dressings to them. While the dressings and sauces taste wonderful, by adding them, you've just erased the health-giving benefits of the fruits and veggies.

Add the Fiber

Foods that are high in soluble fibre help to lower cholesterol and as a bonus, they are also low fat. What are these foods? Think of items like oats, barley, pulses and some fruits.

It's Not Nutty -- It's Healthy

Seeds and nuts are a double-edged sword, if roasted in oils and rolled in salt or even dark chocolate they slide off the list of heart-healthy foods. But natural nuts and seeds are wonderful. A good idea for using these is to throw a handful into your soups, stews, pasta sauces and salads. They give a crunchy quality and are a great way to get used to consuming low cholesterol foods.

Try Some Fish

Don't be concerned by 'fatty' fish. The fat in these types of fish is good for your heart. Cold-water fish such as tuna, salmon and sardines are all fatty but they are great, as is most fish in general. Make sure that any canned fish isn't packed in oil, and does not have added salt.

Meat Isn't the Bad Guy

If you like meat then that's ok too. Clearly, you do not want to eat fatty meat, but lean meat is all right.. Did you know that lean pork without sans fat is as low in cholesterol as cottage cheese? You just don't want to take in fatty pork bacon or ham.

Want some red meat? Add some steamed vegetables or a big salad to that meal, as red meat does tend to have more fat than, say, pork. The salads and vegetables add fiber, and helps to negate some of the fat that remains in the red meat.

Keep it Healthy

Now that you know the types of foods you really should be consuming, think about how you prepare them. I've already written about several "gotchas" such as sardines packed in oil or nuts covered with chocolate.

You only have one heart, and if you're trying to help it by consuming low cholesterol foods, be sure they stay that way! Become used to reading labels, and ask what's in the sauce (or make do without it).

Keep your heart and body safe with low cholesterol meals. It will thank you for it!

Want to Know More? Here's FREE Information to Lower Cholesterol Without Drugs!

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