Cholesterol it’s complicated. We need a certain amount for normal bodily functions, but too much can be a very bad thing.
If a doctor has told you that you have high cholesterol, it means that your LDL cholesterol levels are too high (the “bad” cholesterol), and now your job is to lower them. While things like reducing stress, quitting smoking, and getting regular exercise can help significantly, eat healthier foods is crucial too.
But many times it is not only the food we eat but the combinations of foods that can help with certain health complications, because it gives us the opportunity of a multitude of nutrients in a single bite. For example, Courtney D’Angelo, MS, RD, author at what a wellness, suggests a combination of oatmeal made with almond milk for breakfast to help lower cholesterol levels.
Read on to learn more about how this breakfast combo can help your heart, and for more healthy breakfast tips, check out 9 breakfast recipes to help lower cholesterol.
Oatmeal is one of the healthiest breakfast options you can make, and has been found to help you manage your weight, help improve your gut health, and help lower your cholesterol levels.
“Eating a bowl of oatmeal ensures that you’re consuming about 5 grams of dietary fiber,” says D’Angelo. “Oatmeal specifically contains soluble fiber, which can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream, and five to 10 grams of soluble fiber per day can lower LDL cholesterol.”
A review published in nutrients found that soluble fiber intake was not only associated with heart health in the form of reduced blood cholesterol levels, but was also known to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in general.
Along with its fiber content, another reason oatmeal is such a healthy breakfast option is the fact that it can also add so many healthy, nutrient-dense ingredients to your plate. For example, D’Angelo recommends including nut products such as almond milk or almond butter.
“Almond milk is packed with healthy fats, fiber, magnesium, and other vitamins, and eating nuts like almonds can help lower LDL cholesterol. So if you add almond milk or almond butter to your oatmeal, plus fruit like raspberries, strawberries or sliced applesyou’ll get an extra boost of fiber for a very healthy breakfast.”
In fact, a study published in The nutrition diary found that the constant consumption of almonds and almond oil helps reduce “bad” cholesterol and increases “good” cholesterol.
If you’re looking for a heart-healthy breakfast packed with healthy fats, vitamins, and soluble fiber, enjoying a bowl of oatmeal with almond milk or almond butter, plus some delicious fruit, is the perfect option for you.
