The kind of fat you eat matters when trying to lower your cholesterol levels. These five meals include important unsaturated fatty acids that, according to a study, help lower cholesterol.
Despite its negative connotations, cholesterol is essential to good health. Actually, the body uses the cholesterol that your liver produces for a variety of purposes, including the synthesis of hormones.
However, eating excessive amounts of particular fats, such as trans and saturated fat (found in fried foods and fatty meats), can increase LDL, or “bad” cholesterol. The American Heart Association states that this kind of cholesterol may build up in arteries, raising your risk of heart disease and stroke.
It’s crucial to remember that added trans fats were formerly primarily present in processed foods, but the FDA has outlawed them. Nonetheless, several foods still naturally contain trans fats.
Ideal Cholesterol Concentrations
Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you should strive for the following cholesterol values:
- LDL : less than 100 mg/dL
- HDL : at least 40 mg/dl for men and 50 mg/dL for women.
- Total cholesterol: less than 150 mg/dL
Consuming less of trans and saturated fats is essential to achieving optimal cholesterol levels. On the other hand, a variety of heart-healthy fats can raise “good” HDL cholesterol and/or lower LDL cholesterol, which can both help to lower cholesterol levels.
“Mono- and polyunsaturated fats are found in a wide variety of foods, from animal-based, like fish and seafood, to plant-based, like nuts and seeds, just to name a few,” says Maria Laura Haddad-Garcia, senior nutrition & news editor at EatingWell.
These fats are classified as unsaturated fats. These are simple enough to prepare for a snack this afternoon or to serve on your dinner tonight.
The Top 5 Fats to Lower Cholesterol
Pistachios
These are the kinds of snacks you should stock up on. A 2021 meta-analysis published in Food Science and Nutrition, which included 12 randomized controlled trials, revealed that eating pistachios for approximately 12 weeks reduced total cholesterol by 7 points, LDL by 4 points, and triglycerides (an additional form of fat) by the same amount. (The daily consumption of pistachios ranged from 1 ounce to more, depending on the study.)
These tiny nuts include special nutrients, including vitamin E, antioxidants, and potassium, that may reduce inflammation and enhance blood vessel function. They may also help the body better break down fatty acids.
Pistachios also include phytosterols, which are plant-based substances that have been shown to reduce cholesterol. One ounce, or forty-nine kernels, of pistachios, has thirteen grams of fat and 159 calories, according to the USDA. This Pistachio & Peach Toast is a tasty and heart-healthy afternoon snack, according to Haddad-Garcia.
Flaxseed
It’s time to add some flax to your porridge in the morning. An ounce of flaxseed taken daily for 12 weeks by adults with hypertension reduced their top number on a blood pressure reading by 13 points when compared to a placebo group whose blood pressure went up by 2 points.
Furthermore, the total cholesterol of the flax-eaters decreased by over 20 points, whereas the placebo group’s dropped by only 12 points. The American Heart Association states that lowering your cholesterol is a wise move if you have high blood pressure since excessive cholesterol causes plaque deposits in arteries over time, which makes it harder for blood to flow through vessels and raise blood pressure.
A tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains 3 grams of fat and 37 calories. Add flaxseed to your banana bread the next time to up your dose of heart-healthy fats.
Avocado
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that about one in five persons had low levels of HDL cholesterol. Higher cholesterol levels may be better for your heart health, even though this is just one measure of cholesterol.
According to the AHA, HDL is regarded as the “good” kind of cholesterol since it transports LDL from the arteries back to the liver, where it is metabolized and eliminated from the body.
In summary, you can increase your HDL by using avocado in your next salad or by snacking on veggie slices dipped in guacamole. According to a 2018 review and meta-analysis published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, individuals who ate avocados had higher HDL levels than those who did not.
Rich in fiber, monounsaturated fats, and plant sterols, avocados are a creamy fruit that, according to studies, may help lower cholesterol. Starting your day with a traditional avocado-egg toast is a tasty and heart-healthy option.
Plant-Based Fats
All it takes is a light coating of heart-healthy oil. “Research reveals that the popular belief that olive oil is the only plant-based oil that is healthful is unfounded.
Other plant-based oils such as canola, sesame, avocado, and peanut can help maintain heart function, according to Haddad-Garcia. In fact, a 2018 meta-analysis published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition found that plant-based oils high in plant sterols and antioxidants that lower cholesterol actually outperform olive oil in lowering levels of triglycerides and total and “bad” LDL cholesterol.
However, that does not imply that you should stop using olive oil: The greatest oil for raising “good” HDL cholesterol levels, according to the experts, is olive oil. Other studies have demonstrated that routinely drinking olive oil can strengthen the function of HDL cholesterol, such as a 2019 study published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.
Fatty Fish
It’s time to prepare some fish for dinner, er, fatty fish. According to the British Journal of Nutrition, people who eat the most fatty fish—at least 8 ounces per week—have better HDL cholesterol and more favorable cholesterol profiles than people who eat the least—less than 4 ounces per week.
This difference in cholesterol profiles may help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are abundant in fatty fish, can lower blood pressure, inflammation, and the risk of blood clots. Sheet and Spicy Sardine LinguineThese, delicious recipes for pan-salmon, sweet potatoes, and broccoli, would make a great meal tonight.
Additional Advice for Lowering Cholesterol
According to the American Heart Association, if you have high cholesterol, making the following lifestyle adjustments and receiving medical attention can help bring your cholesterol back within a healthy range:
Eat a diet high in heart-healthy foods.
A heart-healthy diet is rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats (such as chicken breasts, turkey, and fish), nuts and seeds, legumes, and heart-healthy fats.
Increase your movement.
Exercise raises ticker-protective HDL levels, which is awesome.
Give up smoking and vaping.
A wonderful place to start is by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW, the CDC’s helpline.
Sustain a healthy weight.
Maintaining an active lifestyle and adhering to a heart-healthy diet will greatly contribute to maintaining a healthy weight. A modest weight decrease of five to ten percent of your present body weight can have an impact.
Discuss prescription drugs.
Consult your physician to determine whether using a statin or other cholesterol-lowering drug in addition to following the previously mentioned healthy lifestyle recommendations can help lower your cholesterol.
To Conclude
“Fat is typically associated with negative health effects, particularly in relation to cholesterol regulation. Haddad-Garcia adds, “But you don’t have to get rid of it entirely. You can better control your fat-intake by making little dietary adjustments.
One is to consume fewer foods high in saturated fats (like fatty red meats) and increase your consumption of foods high in unsaturated fats (such as nuts and seeds, avocados, some plant-based oils, and fatty fish).