Knowing about cholesterol fighting foods is important for people wanting to lose weight because the majority of the foods we enjoy have high amounts of cholesterol. This is even one of the biggest reasons why people find it very hard to slim down because they do not want to give up these delicious foods they have grown to love. Fortunately, there are many delicious and readily-available foods that can help lower cholesterol.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is proven to be one of the most effective cholesterol fighting foods. The reason behind this claim is the high levels of soluble fiber found in oatmeal. This fiber helps flush out cholesterol because it binds to bile acids where cholesterol originates from.
Soy Products
Soy products are growing in popularity nowadays because more and more people are discovering its health benefits. Soy products include tofu, soy beans, soy flour, and soy milk. Soy products are also the main ingredients in meat substitutes and cheese substitutes which are common food for many vegans.
Beans
Beans are essential foods that are always a staple in many health diets because of the amount of cholesterol fighting soluble fiber they contain. Beans are always available in grocery stores and can be used in many recipes. The FDA as well as the National Cancer Institute urges the consumption of between 25 and 30 grams of bean fibers each day, not less than 5 times a week.
Nuts
Nuts such as walnuts and almonds have an ample amount of healthy monounsaturated fats. Walnuts are good sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids that are also found in fatty fish. Although eating of nuts has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease in many medical studies, they should still be taken in moderation because they have a high calorie count. It is recommended that only a small handful of nuts be eaten as a snack 3 to 4 times in a week.
Fatty Fish
Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, anchovies, sardines, mackerel, rainbow trout, and herring are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which are responsible for lowering bad LDL cholesterol and triglycerides as well as raising good HDL cholesterol. It is recommended to have 2 servings of these cholesterol fighting foods each week.
Red Wine
Studies of red wine have revealed that it contains plenty of flavonols that can help lower cholesterol and decrease the risk of heart disease. Unfortunately, drinking too much wine can do more harm than good by damaging the liver. To get the most out of the cholesterol fighting properties of wine, it is recommended that women drink red wine no more than once a day and twice a day for men. Good substitutes for wine are dark cocoa and red grape juice which are also considered effective cholesterol fighting foods.
Chocolate
Chocolate has a high amount of flavonoids especially for dark chocolate. These flavonoids have many bodily functions such as keeping blood platelets separated to prevent clots or the clogging of arteries and blood vessels, preventing LDL cholesterol from oxidizing, as well as boosting healthy HDL cholesterol levels. However, like most of the cholesterol fighting foods, chocolate also has to be taken in moderation to maximize its effects because it contains a lot of refined sugar. While the chocolate is good, the sugar in the chocolate is bad. Choose chocolate that is high in cocoa and low in sugar.
Darran Butler is a heart health and cholesterol wellness expert with a passion for showing others how to live healthy and passionate lives. He has helped countless others achieve their health objectives and, specifically, teaching them about cholesterol fighting foods. For more information on Darran Butler and how he can help you, visit his site for a free report that will show you how to stay super heart healthy with ideal cholesterol at http://improvinghealthsecrets.com/
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