There are several foods that can be consumed straight from the kitchen to reduce high cholesterol levels. An expert reveals how these can be beneficial for LDL levels.
Controlling cholesterol is crucial to prevent lifestyle-related diseases like heart disease and high blood pressure. To effectively control cholesterol, it is essential to maintain a balanced diet. Incorporating foods like almonds, oats, whole grains, fruits and vegetables can help regulate cholesterol levels. Apart from diet, regular exercise is essential. India.com got in touch with Ritika Samaddar, Regional Director, Dietetics, Max Healthcare, New Delhi, who explained and discussed in depth the foods that, when included in daily meals, help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
High Cholesterol Diet: 4 Expert-Recommended Foods to Lower LDL Cholesterol
- Almonds:Almonds are a nutrient powerhouse, containing 15 essential nutrients, including protein, magnesium, calcium, and zinc. Incorporating almonds into your diet can help lower total and LDL cholesterol levels, while reducing heart-damaging inflammation. Eating a handful of almonds as a snack can also improve HDL cholesterol, reduce belly fat, and decrease waist circumference—all risk factors for heart disease. You can easily incorporate almonds into your diet by adding them to salads, desserts, or smoothies for a nutritious boost, thanks to their versatility.
- Whole grains and oats: Incorporating whole grains into your diet offers numerous health benefits, including improved blood pressure, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, weight control, and lower LDL cholesterol levels. Oats, in particular, are effective at lowering cholesterol and decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. To include whole grains and oats in your meals, opt for oatmeal or whole grain cereal for breakfast, use whole grain flour in baking, add cooked whole grains to salads or soups, blend oats into smoothies, and choose whole grain bread for sandwiches.
- Fruit: A diet rich in fruit can greatly improve lipid health due to its fiber content, high water levels, and low saturated fats. These factors not only lower cholesterol, but also control hunger, promote satiety, and help maintain weight. To effortlessly include fruit in your diet, blend it into smoothies, add it to cereal, yogurt, or salads, enjoy it as healthy snacks, make fruit-infused water or frozen treats, and incorporate it into baked and savory dishes for a nutritious boost.
- Garlic:Incorporating garlic into your diet regularly can reduce total and LDL cholesterol levels. Enhance your meals by incorporating garlic into your cooking, roasting it as a spread, sautéing it with vegetables, or including it in salads, sauces, and curries. For added flavor, sprinkle garlic powder or infuse traditional dishes such as lentils with it.
In addition to adopting a healthy diet, prioritizing regular exercise is essential to maintaining heart health. Adopt these dietary changes and commit to staying active to regulate cholesterol levels and promote well-being.
