Here’s a list of five different whole foods to help you on your journey to a healthy heart.
Summer is here and it becomes essential to change the diet to keep the body cool. Adding whole grains to the diet will not only cool down the body, but also control high cholesterol levels and keep heart disease at bay. Whole grains are packed with nutrients and are prized for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. According to nutritionist Lovneet Batra, “When it comes to lowering cholesterol, whole grains are the healthiest types of grain to eat. Here is a list of five different whole foods to help you on your way to a healthy heart.”
5 Whole Foods That Help Lower Cholesterol and Keep Heart Disease at Bay
- Oats are rich in dietary fiber comprising a mixture of soluble and insoluble fibers. One of the components of soluble fiber found in oats is beta-glucans, which are the main cholesterol-lowering component of oats and have been shown to be heart-healthy. Oats tend to selectively lower LDL cholesterol to a greater extent than HDL cholesterol.
- Amaranth grain contains tocotrienols and squalene compounds, which are known to affect cholesterol biosynthesis.
- The goodness of the phytochemicals, phenols, tannins and plant sterols in jowar are known to have a hypocholesterolemic effect. Rich in antioxidants, vitamins E and B, and minerals such as iron and magnesium, it is valuable for lowering cholesterol levels, preventing plaque formation, and improving blood flow and circulation.
- Barley contains soluble fiber, beta glucan binds bile acids in the intestines and therefore lowers plasma cholesterol levels. The abundance of heart-healthy nutrients in barley, such as thiamine, niacin, copper, and magnesium, is helpful in preventing the risk of heart disease.
- Millet is rich in cholesterol, when consumed it increases the good cholesterol in the body and strengthens the body.
If refined grains are part of your diet, try swapping them out for some of the whole grain alternatives listed above to reap their health benefits.
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