Currently there is a few people who are facing health problems due to high cholesterol levels. High levels of cholesterol is one of the causes of heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases.
Drugs made from chemicals is often a solution for people who want to lower cholesterol levels quickly. However, the side effects of chemical based medicines sometimes can not be avoided and even cause other health problems.
There is another way that is more safe and effective for lowering cholesterol levels in the body. This method has a good long-term effects for controlling your body's cholesterol levels, that is by dieting.
However, before knowing how the role of diet in controlling cholesterol levels, you should first understand what cholesterol is formed in the body.
Of which cholesterol come from?
The two main sources of cholesterol in the body is the body itself and the food we eat. All animals can produce cholesterol in their bodies and animal products are part of human foods that naturally contain cholesterol.
The liver produces cholesterol to carry out certain functions in the body. Studies show that about 75 percent of the cholesterol in the body is produced by the liver and the other 25 percent comes from the food we eat.
Cholesterol that comes from food is called dietary cholesterol. While blood cholesterol produced by the liver is an important component necessary to carry out the many functions of the body. Excess cholesterol from the foods you eat can lead to heart disease.
Importance keep cholesterol levels
No matter if you are taking cholesterol from food, but when combined with highly saturated fats, it would be a problem. Cholesterol intake of foods with saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels in the body. This means that the body gets extra cholesterol buildup in the arteries that eventually restrict normal blood flow, making the arteries clogged, and can result in causing a stroke.
Therefore, it is important to maintain healthy cholesterol levels by balancing dietary cholesterol and saturated fats in the diet. Balancing your diet is the first step to achieving a healthy lifestyle and a healthy diet. The second step is to maintain the health and fitness through regular physical exercise.
Low cholesterol diet menus
Change your diet to avoid the chances of developing heart disease. Here is a list of foods to lower cholesterol levels.
1. Fruit and vegetables
All kinds of fruits and vegetables is a healthy diet because they contain vitamins and minerals, contains no fat and low calorie content. In addition to a low calorie, fruits and vegetables are also a rich source of useful fiber binds cholesterol and removing it from the body. Eating fruits and vegetables regularly is believed to reduce cholesterol and keep a person from the risk of heart disease and stroke.
2. Lean meat
Try to consume lean meats such as turkey, chicken, and fish to the list of foods low in cholesterol. But, if you still want to eat red meat, try cooking process is done correctly and specifically to reduce the levels of fat and cholesterol.
3. Grains
Avoid white flour products, except for grains and cereals in the diet. White flour has a high amount of carbohydrates and the consumption of such foods can raise cholesterol in the body. Grains are known to have high energy and fiber content of foods. In addition, cereal grains and beans, brown bread, pasta, and potatoes also help lower cholesterol levels.
4. Dairy products
In the market today easily found products skim or low-fat dairy products. Many people with high cholesterol who avoid dairy products altogether, whereas health benefits of milk. Therefore, people with high cholesterol should continue to consume milk, which is low-fat milk.
5. Oils and fats
Avoid saturated fats if you have started a diet low in cholesterol like that found in some products such as butter, margarine, and oils that contain saturated fats. To replace it, try to consume as much fish oil 3-4 times a week to help lower cholesterol levels. If you want to fry food, use olive oil for cooking as olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats and polyphenols, compounds that can reduce inflammation in the body and reduce the risk of blood clots.