Changing your diet and eating certain foods regularly while avoiding others can be enough to lower cholesterol levels. Which foods naturally lower cholesterol levels is explained below.
To lower cholesterol through diet, it is first important to know which foods to avoid and which have a cholesterol-lowering effect. If cholesterol levels are too high, it can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of health complications, especially cardiovascular disease.
Diet affects cholesterol levels
Diet can have a significant impact on cholesterol levels, which is why experts from the German Heart Foundation advise in a statement that if you have high cholesterol levels, you should change your diet as a first step. According to the German Heart Foundation, if cholesterol levels are higher, it is often not enough to just change your diet.
Mediterranean diet to lower cholesterol
A Mediterranean diet is recommended to lower cholesterol. This is known to include high amounts of vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains. Other typical ingredients include fish, nuts, herbs, and healthy vegetable oils (especially olive oil).
Limit consumption of animal products
In contrast, animal products are largely avoided in the Mediterranean diet. These contain a high proportion of cholesterol and also saturated fatty acids, which increase the LDL cholesterol level, which is often referred to as unhealthy.
Lower cholesterol with algae
A study published in the English-language journal “Nutrition Research” also suggests that algae can also be an effective way to lower cholesterol levels.
The main component of algae is dietary fiber. According to the researchers, they make up 25 to 75 percent of the dry weight. The dietary fibers contained are mainly so-called soluble dietary fibers, which, among other things, reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, explains the team.
So-called indigestible viscous polysaccharides, which are contained in algae, form ionic colloids and have a positive effect on serum fats in rats. the researchers continue. Such indigestible viscous polysaccharides from algae include, for example, alginates, carrageenans and funorans.
According to the researchers, the polysaccharides from algae were able to lower serum cholesterol levels. This appears to be because polysaccharides disperse in water, bind cholesterol and related physiologically active compounds, and inhibit lipid absorption in the gastrointestinal tract.
Lower cholesterol with legumes
Legumes were also associated with a reduction in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in a study involving 268 participants, reports the Health Knowledge Foundation.
Daily consumption of walnuts reduces cholesterol
Walnuts can also have a positive effect on cholesterol. One research found that eating 40 grams of walnuts per day along with a diet low in fat and cholesterol can lower both LDL and total cholesterol.
These four components maximize cholesterol reduction
According to another independent study, diets that include fiber, plant sterols, soy protein and nuts are particularly effective at lowering cholesterol. This, according to the experts, can maximize the reduction in LDL cholesterol.
A diet that includes all four components mentioned can reduce LDL cholesterol by almost 30 percent. The results of the research work were published in the English-language journal Current Atherosclerosis Reports.
Significant influence of diet on cholesterol levels
Taken together, the results make it clear that eating right can have a significant impact on cholesterol levels. Indeed, by eating certain foods, it is possible to reduce high cholesterol levels, which can prevent health problems and diseases. (as)
