3 Types of Foods to Lower Cholesterol

meals

Foods to Lower Cholesterol

How’s your cholesterol level? Unless you’ve had a recent blood test, you probably don’t know.

Why? Even if you have high cholesterol (a risk factor for a heart attack or stroke), there typically aren’t any symptoms.

In most cases, high cholesterol develops slowly over time.
Basically, tiny fatty particles start to clog artery walls, making it harder for your heart to pump blood.
If a fatty deposit breaks off, it can block blood flow and oxygen to the heart or brain.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Your lifestyle habits, especially your food choices, can help control cholesterol levels, and even raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels.There’s three main types of foods that can help you control cholesterol:

1. Lean protein

Lean protein sources include foods like chicken, fish, turkey, and legumes.

These lean protein sources aren’t high in saturated fats found in red meats. And they don’t contain trans fats commonly found in processed foods.

Try some of these lean-protein meals:

Salmon & Vegetable Linguini
Turkey Chili with Brown Rice

2. Fruits & vegetables

Eat more fruits and vegetables. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends adults eat:

2 to 3 cups of vegetables per day
1.5 to 2 cups of fruit per day.

Why more fruits and vegetables? They’ve packed with vitamins and nutrients your body needs. They’re low in calories. But they’re also high in fiber, which helps control cholesterol.

Try these veggie-packed meals:

Vegetable Caponata with Orzo & Spinach

3. Whole grains

Here’s another simple change to your diet that can help control cholesterol. Eat more whole grains. This can include whole grain:

Bread
Pasta
Cereal
Oatmeal

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends adults eat 3 to 5 servings of whole grains per day. Give this whole-grain breakfast meal a try:

Whole Grain Pancake & Sausages, Sweet Potatoes & Cinnamon Apples

If you want to protect your heart, lower your risk for a heart attack or stroke, and be healthier, eat healthier foods to control cholesterol.