Diet Changes To Reduce High Cholesterol

High cholesterol can cause various heart-related complications and can worsen overall health. Our lifestyle and what we eat have a great impact on our cholesterol levels. If you suffer from high cholesterol, you must keep a closer eye on what you are eating.

In this article, we discuss some easy-to-follow diet changes you can implement to reduce high cholesterol. These foods not only reduce cholesterol but help better your overall health.

8 diet changes to reduce high cholesterol:

1. Add more spices to your diet

Although having high cholesterol means eating simpler and healthier foods, you should not cut down on spices. Spices and herbs such as garlic, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, and so on are great superfoods known for their cholesterol-lowering capabilities. These spices and herbs help reduce cholesterol by reducing the growth of plaques inside the vessels.

2. Eat healthy fats

When going on a cholesterol-focussed diet, we often cut out all kinds of fatty foods. That may not be the right diet change. Healthy fats are extremely important for our body as they help the body absorb other nutrients, reduce bad cholesterol and promote the production of good cholesterol in the body.

3. Have green tea

Green tea is one of the most popular beverages that have been proven to reduce cholesterol levels. Green tea helps clear out pre-existing growth from our arteries and has also been proven to reduce its production. You can consume green tea by steeping it like regular tea or by consuming it in the form of matcha. Matcha is the powdered form of green tea and is safe to consume mixed into milk and does not require steeping.

4. Cut out ultra-processed foods

This dietary change may be the more urgent. Ultra-processed foods are abundant in trans fats, saturated fats, and preservatives. All these components have been proven to worsen and cause high cholesterol. Avoid eating junk food and unhealthy ultra-processed foods such as chips, cakes, and so on.

5. Add soybeans to your diet

Another important way to reduce high cholesterol is to consume foods rich in protein and antioxidants. Soybeans are rich in both of these components. They have been proven to be a great addition to the diet for people with high cholesterol. Soybeans are available in a variety of forms such as soy milk, tofu, edamame, tempeh, and so on.

6. Eat soluble fibre

We must consume an adequate amount of fibre for the smooth functioning of our digestive system. There are two kinds of fibre; soluble and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre mixes with water and helps in digestion. It is also very helpful in lowering high cholesterol. Soluble fibre requires bile for excretion. Bile is produced in the liver and a shortage of bile causes our liver to draw it from the deposited cholesterol. This helps lower our cholesterol levels.

7. Eat fresh vegetables and fruits

This may be one of the more common dietary changes prescribed to people with high cholesterol. Eating fresh vegetables and fruits helps reduce high cholesterol as they are rich in water as well as soluble fibre. They are also rich in antioxidants which have been proven to lower cholesterol. It also reduces the chances of heart-related diseases which one may be prone to due to high cholesterol.

8. Have supplements

Dietary changes may not pose adequate for some people with high cholesterol. Hence, we encourage you to speak to a health professional and try consuming supplements that can help lower your cholesterol.

In conclusion, some simple and easy diet changes can significantly improve your cholesterol levels. Along with these dietary suggestions, we also encourage you to incorporate exercise into your routine. A healthy lifestyle helps maintain a healthy body.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.