Foods

Four Fun Foods That Lower Cholesterol

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When you realize that you need to pay attention to lowering your cholesterol levels, it can be depressing to read the list of foods that you can no longer consume. While it is true that you will likely need to eliminate some of your favorite dishes if you generally have had an unhealthy culinary lifestyle, there may be a few things that will surprise you. Some foods that are generally considered to be unhealthy are actually a huge benefit to lowering cholesterol levels.

Almost any dish can be enhanced with one of nature’s purest products: garlic. Though it is often associated with rich pasta sauces and Italian dishes, garlic can be added to just about anything you prepare, from eggs to vegetables to casseroles. LDL cholesterol, typically referred to as the “bad cholesterol,” has been the subject of much testing, and garlic has been shown to help in lowering the levels of this type of cholesterol. Some tests have shown that it lowers the levels by as much as 20 mg/dL when consumed by humans in quantities of as little as one-half gram per day. Though the results are thought to be only temporary, it appears to continue working with consistent consumption. As with most natural foods, it is best consumed fresh in its whole form. Powders are questioned due to the possibility of losing the active ingredients that aid in the reduction of cholesterol.

One of the most flavorful and popular fish varieties available for human consumption is salmon. It has gotten bad press because it has high levels of fat, but the truth is that it is not the “bad” kind of fat. In fact, salmon has very low levels of saturated fat, while having high levels of niacin, which aids in increasing HDL, the “good cholesterol.” HDL is known to increase the capacity of the body to transport cholesterol to the liver, and thereby be eliminated from your system.

Alcohol often finds itself on the “no list” of almost every diet. However, red wine is the exception, particularly when it comes to a diet with a goal of lowering cholesterol levels. Red wine is known to increase HDL, the “good cholesterol.” Though it is not proven that it does lower overall cholesterol levels for consistent periods of time, it does appear to raise HDL for the short term, helping the body to eliminate cholesterol for periods of time. Medical professionals, however, caution against over-indulgence in alcohol of any type, including red wine.

Finally, we come to chocolate. Who doesn’t think of chocolate as an indulgence, and something that contributes to being overweight or unhealthy? Fortunately, the exception to this myth is dark or bittersweet chocolate. This type of chocolate is one of the purest forms of the natural cocoa bean, and is high in flavonoids, chemicals that are known to lower LDL levels in the blood. They also have been shown to protect against coronary heart disease. Be sure to look for pure versions of dark and bittersweet chocolate, with little sugar and chemicals added.

Incorporate some of these delicious foods into your daily diet to aid in lowering cholesterol levels and raising your overall health in a big way. Learn to love nature’s gifts and use them to enhance your life in a good way.

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Cholesterol Reducing Foods

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Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol has been shown to increase health risks including cardiovascular disease. Therefore, it is important to keep your LDL cholesterol within the recommended range. One of the easiest ways to protect your health is to eat foods which lower the amount of LDL in your bloodstream. Below is a list of cholesterol reducing foods which can easily be incorporated into your diet.

Spinach contains an abundance of carotene which has been shown to reduce cholesterol. Eating 1/2 cup of cooked spinach three times a week will significantly improve your health. If you prefer raw spinach, try a healthy spinach salad. To increase the benefits of a spinach salad add some mandarin oranges and red onions. The pectin in the mandarin oranges lowers cholesterol, and the quercitin in onions has been shown to prevent damage to your artery walls.

Garlic is known for its many beneficial properties. But did you know that it also helps remove cholesterol and prevent blood clots? Experts recommend eating one clove of garlic per day. To incorporate into your diet simply roast a clove of garlic and make some scrumptious garlic bread.

Olive oil can be used in many different dishes including salads, pasta and vegetables. Olive oil can replace many cholesterol raising fats including butter. Make a simple vinaigrette use 3 parts olive oil to 1 part vinegar. For a delicious pasta dish combine 1 pound cooked pasta, 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 4 cloves of chopped garlic and 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley.

Nuts, especially peanuts, contain vitamin E as well as folic acid. Vitamin E protects your arteries from the damages associated with cholesterol, while folic acid has been shown to reduce homocysteine levels. Increased homocysteine levels has been linked to an increased risk of both heart and blood vessel diseases.

Beans provide soluble fiber which help lower cholesterol. Beans can be incorporated into your daily diet by using several different recipes. One of the easiest ways to use beans is to make a bean salad. Combine several of your favorite beans with green peppers, onions, celery, oil and vinegar. This bean salad will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, making it a simple side dish for your meals.

One glass of red wine a day will increase your good cholesterol while lowering your bad cholesterol. Too much of a good thing can cause more harm than good; therefore, it is important to drink in moderation.

Tea contains many wonderful properties including catechin. Catechin has been shown to protect your artery walls by lowering your bad cholesterol while increasing your good cholesterol. White, green or black teas all contain catechin, so choose your favorite and drink up!

Apples are known to promote good health including reducing cholesterol and protecting your heart. Apples contain pectin and flavonoids; both of which reduce cholesterol. The best way to eat apples is to eat them raw; however, cooked apples will also benefit your health.

Incorporate the aforementioned cholesterol busting foods into your diet to help lower your bad cholesterol while maintaining your good cholesterol. It is easy to include these foods into your diet when you have the knowledge of how to properly use them for the maximum benefit.

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Foods To Eat To Lose Weight

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Knowing what foods to eat while you are trying to lose weight is a good way to learn what it takes to shed those extra pounds. The only way you are going to know what you should be fueling your body with is to inform yourself. Go ahead and use the following information to learn what it takes to get yourself on the right weight loss track.

Fast food should never be an option for you when you’re trying to lose weight. It is always a good thing to eat in and eat healthy. You want to avoid fast food at all times because they are usually rich in trans fats and other unhealthy additives. You should even avoid the salads at fast food restaurants, as they are drenched in dressing which makes them unhealthy to eat.

Nuts are a great snack and filled with protein. It is a great thing to consider eating nuts as a snack instead of things like chips or chocolate. So get out there and stock up on nuts and of different types, you’d be surprised at how much weight you could lose by switching your snacks to nuts.

Some of your biggest friends are both fruits and vegetables. You can get a lot of nutrients on a daily basis with natural foods from the Earth. Fruits are rich in carbs and a lot of different vitamins that can enrich your body depending on the fruit. While vegetables are a great source of additional vitamins and other healthy carbs that can get you through your day.

Make sure that you don’t consume any alcohol when you’re trying to lose weight. You want to just make sure you consume healthy foods, and alcohol has a lot of calories that can negate all of your healthy eating habits. You can practice healthy eating habits but drink lots of alcohol which can cause no change in your weight and even make it increase.

Sweets and snacking on sweets aren’t a healthy thing to do for your diet. When you’re trying to lose weight you need to maintain control so don’t fill yourself with sweets all day. You should reward yourself with healthy tasty foods like fresh fruits instead of eating candy to fill the sweet tooth craving you may have.

A great snack to eat are berries, because they have good carbs that can help you through your day. There are also many berries that are said to reduce the likelihood that you could get cancer, so think about eating a lot of berries for a healthy snack. The best thing about berries are that they’re healthy and they taste good as well.

Soy can help you lose a lot of weight. So consider adding soy to your daily diet and see what changes you find in your weight.

When you understand what you should be filling your belly with, your body smiles back at you when you look in the mirror. Go ahead and start applying all of the tips you learned today and see where your body is in a couple of months.

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