Lower Your Cholesterol

Cholesterol is found in the blood and there are good and bad cholesterol.

In order to prevent high cholesterol or to lower high cholesterol you must think about the amount of fat you are consuming. The two different types of fat include: saturated and unsaturated fat.

Unsaturated fat can be found in foods such as: oily fish, nuts, avocado, vegetable oils and seeds. Unsaturated fats tend to be liquid at room temperature and can come from plant sources.

Saturated fats are likely to be found in cakes, chocolate, fast foods and it is these types of fat that we want to try and avoid eating too much of. Generally saturated fats tend to be solid at room temperature and can come from animal sources. Examples are the fat you can see on meat (best to cut this off!), cheese, butter and lard.

Here are some tips to help you replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats in your everyday diet

1 Check food labels.

Remember that fats are high in calories so we shouldn’t increase our intake. However, what is important for our hearts is to eat the right type of fat. So keep an eye on food labels and try to choose foods lower in saturated fats that contain good fats instead.

2 Choose a polyunsaturated spread instead of butter.

Two of those little pats of butter you get when eating out contain over half of the saturated fat you should eat in a day! Some margarines can contain up to 78% less saturated fat than butter.)

3 Choose a healthy cooking oil like rapeseed or vegetable oil.

4 Cut down on processed and fatty red meats.

Why not try and replace them with lean cuts of meat, chicken/turkey (without the skin) or oily fish such as mackerel, herring or fresh tuna.

Below is a list of foods which will help to improve cholesterol levels.

Oats

This grain is something of a cholesterol-lowering superfood. Eating an oat-rich breakfast cereal once daily, such as porridge oats, or eating oatcakes is an easy adjustment to make.

Oily fish

The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish have the ability to reduce LDL cholesterol while raising healthy HDL cholesterol, as well as reducing blood thickness and inflammation (all very important for improving heart disease risk). It is recommended that we eat two portions of fish weekly, of which at least one should be oily fish such as sardines, mackerel, salmon, sprats or fresh tuna. Plus, eating fish twice a week helps to reduce the amount of red meat and saturated fat in your diet which is linked to a worsening of cholesterol levels.

Walnuts

Containing healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids it is established that eating walnuts daily helps normalise cholesterol levels. In a study in 2000 those who incorporated walnuts into their diet reduced LDL cholesterol by six per cent and their risk of heart disease by 11 per cent. It is simple to eat a small handful as a snack, or chopped and added to breakfast cereal or yoghurt.

Garlic

Some trials using garlic have shown a reduction in cholesterol levels. It is important to incorporate regularly, so whenever you're making a meal or a dip as a snack, think about adding in some garlic. The useful compounds in garlic mature on contact with air, so chop the garlic and let it rest for ten minutes before cooking.

Blueberries

Blueberries helps to block cholesterol. It is likely that other dark red/blue berries, such as cranberries and blackberries, will have a similar effect. Fresh, frozen or canned, blueberries are delicious added to breakfast cereal, yoghurt or smoothies.

Avocados and olive oil

These are both rich in monounsaturated fats. Incorporating these foods into your diet, substituting them for less healthy fats such as butter or deep fried foods, helps to counter the effects of saturated fats and so improve cholesterol levels. Avocados make a great spread for toast, or an easy guacamole dip and olive oil can be used to dress salads and for cooking.

A healthy diet combined with exercise is the most effective way to reduce your LDL cholesterol and increase your HDL cholesterol.

Remember: If you are taking positive new steps to lower your cholesterol or blood pressure it can be advisable to visit your GP to review your current medication to make sure your medication is still suitable taking into account your change in lifestyle.