Whole Grains To Garlic: 10 Food Items To Manage Cholesterol

Diet impacts our cholesterol level- while some foods raise, others lower it. Let's explore the food items to include in our diet that will help to manage cholesterol levels

Know The Food Items That Help To Manage Cholesterol (Image Source: Getty)

Substitute saturated fats with healthy fats: In technical terms, replace saturated fats with monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats. Out of all the building blocks, saturated fat tends to be converted most efficiently into cholesterol. If you do have saturated fat, aim to eat no more than 2 grams in one serving. Try using oils like avocado oil, flaxseeds oil, olive oil, and sunflower oil. But these healthier oils are still high in calories, so don’t have too much. (Image Source: getty)

Replace red meats with lean proteins: Making a switch from red meats to fish or plant-based protein is a surefire way to lower your cholesterol. It is because fish and plant-based proteins are low in saturated fat and high in healthy fats, fibre, and other essential nutrients that help to reduce cholesterol levels in the bloodstream. (Image Source: getty)

Eat Fibre or take fibre supplements: Foods high in soluble fibre help prevent your digestive tract from absorbing cholesterol. These foods include: Whole-grain cereals such as oatmeal and oat bran; fruits such as apples, bananas, oranges, pears, and prunes, legumes such as kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, and lima bean. (Image Source: getty)

Incorporate more vegetables.: Most vegetables have zero cholesterol or fat, and they’re a great source of fibre. All vegetables help lower cholesterol. Try including cruciferous veggies and leafy greens, such as Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Kale, and Spinach. (Image Source: getty)

Eat fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids: These acids won't lower your LDL level, but they may help raise your HDL level. They may also protect your heart from blood clots and inflammation and reduce your risk of heart attack. Fish that are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, tuna (canned or fresh), and mackerel. Try to eat these fish two times a week. (Image Source: getty)

Look for Whole grains: Whole grains have zero cholesterol. Their high fiber content means that they also prevent your body from absorbing cholesterol and fat from the foods you eat. A few great whole grains include: Ancient grains, such as quinoa, amaranth etc. (Image Source: getty)

Snack on fruits and nuts: Fruits, especially berries, have fantastic benefits that lower cholesterol. While high in fibre, they have no cholesterol or saturated fat. Fruits rich in pectin, a type of soluble fibre that also lowers LDL such as Apples, Grapes, strawberries, and citrus fruits. (Image Source: getty)

Include Soy: Eating soybeans and foods made from them, like tofu and soy milk, was once touted as a powerful way to lower cholesterol. (Image Source: getty)

Tea: Antioxidants called catechins in certain teas, such as green tea can benefit health. Green tea consumption significantly improved cholesterol levels, reducing both total and LDL cholesterol levels without lowering HDL cholesterol levels. Black tea and white tea have similar properties and health effects on cholesterol. (Image Source: getty)

Garlic: People can use garlic in many dishes and it has many health benefits. Various researchers have found that garlic can help regulate serum cholesterol levels and also help reduce blood pressure. Garlic supplements can be included as it would be difficult to include enough garlic in the diet to have a noticeable effect on cholesterol levels. (Image Source: getty

Inputs by: Nutritionist Harleen Gill (Image Source: getty)