Nutritionist recommends 5 foods to lower your cholesterol | Personal Finance | Finance
A nutritionist has shared some tips for managing your cholesterol. The diet expert spoke about what foods to go for and some wider lifestyle changes you may want to make.
Abby Coleman, performance nutritionist at The Edge human performance lab, explained two key ideas to understand when it comes to cholesterol. She explained: “Typically LDL is termed the ‘bad’ cholesterol, whilst HDL is termed ‘good’. Cholesterol in itself isn’t bad, it’s when you have too much of it that it can begin to ‘stick’ to artery walls, form plaques and increase the risk of heart disease and strokes.
“HDL helps remove excess cholesterol and transport it to the liver for disposal. That’s why higher HDL is generally linked to lower risk.”
HDL stands for high-density lipoproteins, while LDL refers to low-density lipoproteins. Ms Coleman also recently shared some tips around what supplements you may want to include as part of your diet.
What foods are good for reducing LDL cholesterol?
Ms Coleman explained that foods high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats help lower LDL cholesterol. Some examples include:
Foods high in fibre can also help reduce LDL. Some examples include:
- Oats and other wholegrains (brown rice, quinoa, wholewheat)
- Lentils and other pulses
- Fruits and vegetables (e.g. citrus fruits, berries, broccoli – variety is key).
Ms Coleman said you can may also want to eat foods rich in polyphenol, to support your heart health. Examples include grapes, green tea and moderate amounts of dark chocolate.
Meat eaters can also try switching to leaner protein choices, such as chicken, turkey and fish, rather than fattier options like pork, lamb or duck.
What other foods are worth thinking about to help manage cholesterol?
The nutritionist pointed to some wider things to include in your diet to keep it healthy and help manage your cholesterol. Ms Coleman recommended:
- Fibre – especially soluble fibre, such as apples, oats, and beans
- Antioxidants – fruits and vegetables
- Wholegrains instead of refined carbs – Ms Coleman said: “Most people consider fats and pay less attention to the carbohydrates they’re consuming.”
- Plant stanols and sterols – found in nuts, seeds, fortified dairy products (yoghurt) – these are cholesterol-like compounds which lower LDL cholesterol, which is thought to work by reducing the absorption of cholesterol in the gut.
Ms Coleman also said you may want to make some more general changes to your habits. She said: “Lifestyle changes are also important. You should stop smoking and aim to be more active in your daily routine.”
