Cholesterol is a major contributing factor in causing heart attacks. However, our own bodies make cholesterol so it can not be all that bad. In fact, we need some cholesterol and apart from that there are two types, one of which is known as ‘good cholesterol’ and the other as ‘bad cholesterol’.

LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is the ‘bad cholesterol and HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is the ‘good cholesterol’. Both are fatty, waxy substances made in the liver that float about the body in the blood. LDL levels can increase to the point that it can block blood vessels and interfere with the action of the heart resulting in heart disease and heart attack. LDL comes mostly from the consumption of saturated fats in red meat, full-fat milk, cheese and cream and from hydrogenated trans fats.

HDL assists clear out the LDL, so a diet that is good for cholesterol will endeavour to reduce the consumption of LDL-producing food and increase the consumption of HDL-producing food. In general, the foods that do this are fruits, vegetables, grains and fish. However, a high cholesterol level (bad cholesterol, that is) is more complex than just diet. It is also important to maintain a correct body weight and to exercise on a regular basis.

Having healthy levels of cholesterol is actually an on-going maintenance programme and has a lot to do with just living an lively, healthy life. This means not eating a lot of red meat, eating fish twice a week, consuming at least five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables a day, not over doing the dairy products, drinking skimmed milk (or none at all), cutting back on cheese and varying your diet and exercising every day, even if it is only in the form of going for a walk twice a day.

Although there can be genetic causes for high cholesterol, most individuals can resolve this difficulty quite easily by exercise and diet. Doctors say that cutting out all kinds of saturated fat and trans fat is the single most valuable fashion of reducing your LDL cholesterol levels, so that is the obvious place to begin. Grains and pulses are useful because they contain so much fibre which is functional for removing cholesterol.

This suggests that eating porridge in the morning instead of bacon and eggs and having some form of lentil soup with whole grain bread before dinner would be steps in the right direction. Snacks throughout the day and sweet at mealtimes ought to be fruit. Citrus fruits are particularly efficient at helping to remove cholesterol.

Other items of food that are thought to lower cholesterol are nuts like walnuts and almonds; onions and garlic; olive oil and soya bean products. Although cooking in olive oil will help a lot, it is also a good step to avoid frying whenever there is a possibility of cooking in another manner. Grilling and steaming are the best ways of cooking most fish and vegetables and it assists retain the vitamin and nutrient content of the food as well.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on several topics, but is now concerned with low fat low cholesterol diet. If you want to know more, please visit our site at What Foods Lower Cholesterol?

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