Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is vital for most body organs especially the brain, skin, and nerves. It is important in the synthesis of vitamin D, Steroidal hormones, and plays important role in the formation of the cell membrane. As cholesterol can not move in blood freely, it binds to a protein particle forming two main cholesterol types:
- Low- density lipoprotein (LDL) or the bad cholesterol as too much of LDL circulating in your blood may increase your risk for many health problems.
- High- density lipoprotein (HDL) or the good cholesterol as its presence in your body in a specific percentage decrease and even prevent some cardiovascular diseases.
Most cholesterol in the body is synthesized in the liver, while the rest comes from dietary sources such as poultry, meat, margarine, hydrogenated oil, and full-fat dairy products. While cholesterol is particularly important for various body functions, but cholesterol levels should be kept in its healthy range to avoid its hazardous effect.
Normal cholesterol levels
In adult males cholesterol levels should be kept in the following range:
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- Total cholesterol should be kept from 125 to 200 mg\dl
- LDL should be less than 100 mg\ dl
- HDL should be more than 40 mg\dl
In adult females cholesterol levels should be kept in the following range:
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- Total cholesterol should be kept from 125 mg\dl to 200 mg\dl
- LDL should be less than 100 mg\dl
- HDL should be more than 50 mg\dl
So, what causes the rise of cholesterol levels?
Multiple factors contribute to increasing your cholesterol levels, some of these factors are modifiable such as:
- Unbalanced diet: if you irrationally consume foods rich in saturated fats and cholesterol, you will increase your cholesterol levels.
- Increase your weight: being overweight may increase your risk of hypercholesteremia and thus increase your cardiovascular disease risk. When you lose even 10% of weight, this will decrease your total cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL instantly.
- Sedentary lifestyle: physical inactivity is a risk factor for cardiac disease and atherosclerosis. But you can change that immediately, start by walking at least 30 minutes per day and build more on that. Being active may help in decreasing LDL and increase HDL.
Some factors of hypercholesterolemia are not modifiable like:
- Age and sex: although increase cholesterol levels can start early in life due to unhealthy eating habits, aging itself increases cholesterol levels with other factors. Adult males have a higher risk of developing hypercholesterolemia than pre-menopausal females. after menopause both males and females have an equal risk of developing a high level of cholesterol.
- Some medical conditions: some diseases increase the risk of developing high cholesterol levels such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, chronic kidney, and liver diseases.
- Genetic: your genes and family history may affect your cholesterol levels.
Effects of high cholesterol levels
There are no symptoms of high cholesterol levels, and usually, hyperlipidemia or hypercholesterolemia is discovered accidentally during a routine checkup. Prolonged hypercholesterolemia poses a serious risk for developing cardiovascular diseases, peripheral arterial diseases, atherosclerosis, and strokes. To break this cycle, you should start a lifestyle change immediately:
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- Add heart-healthy foods to your diet
- Lose your extra weight
- Keep yourself active
Cholesterol-lowering foods
Food changes have a great impact on cholesterol levels. A recent study was investigating the link between dietary factors and the risk of coronary heart diseases, concluded that there is a protective effect on the heart of the Mediterranean diet food like vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and seafood, and there is a bad effect on the heart of trans-fatty meals, and foods with the high glycemic index.
Here is a list of food that can lower your cholesterol levels:
1) Oats
One of the most important foods to add to your diet when you try to lower your cholesterol. Oats are full of soluble fibers that reduce LDL, the bad cholesterol, without affecting the good cholesterol HDL. These soluble fibers decrease the absorption of cholesterol by binding to it and preventing its reabsorption. According to the American journal of clinical nutrition, adding oats to your meal with other heart-healthy foods has a great effect on cholesterol levels. To have all benefits from fibers, you should have 25 grams of fibers per day. One cup and half oats can provide you with 3 grams of fibers.
2) Barley
Like oats, barley contains soluble fibers which can reduce cholesterol levels by 7-10%. The benefits increase when you use the whole grain barley, that will provide you with more vitamins, minerals, and more fibers. Barley contains B-glucan that may decrease low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and total cholesterol.
3) Beans
It is one of the legumes group, contains a lot of fibers that decrease the absorption of cholesterol. One serving of beans per day can decrease cholesterol levels by 5%.
4) Eggplants
It is a tasty, and versatile vegetable, with different colors and multiple benefits. Eggplants are a great source of vitamins and minerals and can help in treating and preventing iron-deficiency anemia. In a recent study, eggplant juice can help in decreasing serum cholesterol levels. To prepare eggplant juice, choose a fresh eggplant, slice it, and immerse in a lot of water and lemon slices. Keep in the refrigerator and drink it at least three times per day.
5) Okra
It supplements the body with minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins such as vitamin c, vitamin K, potassium, and magnesium. eating okra helps in decreasing the risk of diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, and helps in losing weight. Its high content of fibers helps in digestion, controls blood sugar levels, and improves insulin sensitivity. In a recent study on lab mice, okra was found to decrease cholesterol levels. Okra seed supplements can help in the control of hyperlipidemia.
6) Almonds
These nuts are full of nutrients and benefits to your health. One of the almond’s benefits is cholesterol level reduction by 7-10%. Almonds are rich in l-arginine which can help to a decrease in cholesterol absorption from the intestines, this leads to decrease in total cholesterol levels, LDL, and raise HDL levels too.
7) Avocado
It is rich in nutrients as monounsaturated fatty acids and full of fibers, these two factors specifically are proved to be cholesterol-lowering, LDL. To get the most benefit, try to add avocado to a healthy meal plan, and avoid eating avocado with too much carbohydrate as it is a calorie-dense food.
8) Fatty fish
The American heart association recommends eating fish regularly two or three times per week for better heart-health. One of the best heart-health fishes to have is salmon which is a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 can increase HDL and helps decrease body inflammation. One large cohort study founded that adequate intake of fish rich in long-chain omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids increases levels of HDL and decreases blood pressure, and participants who eat fatty fish regularly were less likely to develop metabolic syndrome. This is not for salmon only, but also for tuna, and mackerel. One study found that eating tuna regularly decreases the risk of strokes. If you choose to consume canned seafood, take care of canning high content of sodium as it may affect your blood pressure.
9) Walnuts
Like almonds, walnuts were found to decrease total cholesterol, and LDL by nearly 10%. This effect can be magnified if you can eat walnuts as a part of the Mediterranean diet. This can help decrease your risk of developing a heart attack or other cardiovascular incident.
10) Apples
It is one great addition to a heart-healthy diet. Full of soluble fibers, apple can help to decrease the absorption of dietary cholesterol. A new study found that eating two apples per day may decrease total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides.
11) Berries
With their different exotic colors and interesting taste, berries are extraordinarily rich fruits. As for cholesterol, fresh berries can reduce LDL and cholesterol. This helps in decreasing the risk of atherosclerosis, coronary heart diseases, and strokes. Blackberries were found to be the best, followed by raspberries and strawberries.
12) Extra-virgin olive oil
It is one major ingredient in the Mediterranean diet, which is greatly valued by experts concerned with heart health. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, this is believed to help increase HDL levels. Many experts encourage adding extra virgin olive oil alongside the Mediterranean diet to decrease total cholesterol and LDL and thus decrease the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and strokes.
13) Garlic
Garlic has been used in medicine for ages. One of garlic amazing uses, its ability to decrease total cholesterol levels. But to get the cholesterol-lowering effects of garlic, a huge amount should be taken. This makes garlic tablets supplements is a realistic way to get all garlic benefits.
14) Dark chocolate
The main component of dark chocolate is cocoa, the more quality cocoa is, the more quality and benefits you get from. Cocoa contains good amounts of copper, iron, potassium, zinc, and selenium. Also, cocoa is a rich source of flavanols, which is a healthy antioxidant that helps the body to retain nitric oxide and subsequently improve blood circulation. Dark chocolate and cocoa were found to help decrease LDL levels and increase serum HDL levels.
15) Dark leafy greens
Leafy greens such as spinach, broccoli, and kale are full of vitamins, and minerals that are vital to your body. Dark greens contain carotenoids like lutein, one study of lutein founded that it could lower serum levels of LDL. Also, a high dietary intake of lutein is associated with good cardiometabolic heart health. Another study suggested that adequate consumption of lutein-containing foods may prevent or decrease atherosclerosis as it prevents cholesterol from adherence to arterial walls as sees in guinea pigs.
16) Flaxseed
It is rich in omega 3 fatty acids and soluble fibers. Flaxseed is used for hundreds of years in Mediterranean countries and is well known for its health benefits. In recent years flaxseed has been studied to know exactly how it affects our bodies. A study from Iowa state university’s nutrition and wellness research finds that eating almost three tablespoons of flaxseed per day may reduce total cholesterol levels by nearly 10% in men, not in women, this inspired more research to know why only men can benefit from flaxseed. One of its non-favorable side effects of eating too much flaxseed is diarrhea.
17) Tea
It is a worldwide drink with different types and tastes. Most health benefits are linked to green tea which is derived from non-fermented tea leaves. Green tea contains catechins, an antioxidant that is believed to decrease total cholesterol levels and LDL, according to a study that was published in the American journal of clinical nutrition. Black tea, which is derived from fully fermented tea leaves, contains polyphenols that have antioxidant effects. One study found that drinking black tea for twelve weeks decreases serum triglycerides by 36% and decreases LDL\HDL plasma ratio by 17%.
18) Fortified food with sterols and stanols
Sterols and stanols are plant substance and can be found in small amount in food derived from plants like rice bran, oat bran, whole wheat, wheat germ, some legumes, and fruits like oranges, apples, banana, etc. sterols and stanols can decrease LDL levels as it decreases the absorption of cholesterol in the intestines.
To decrease your cholesterol level by 10%, you should consume two grams of plant sterols or stanols, and this is not realistic. These substances are added to some goodies like margarine, granola bars, yogurt, and others. These fortified foods help increase your intake of sterols and stanols. Also, sterols and stanols can be found as supplements and you should target taking two grams per day. Some side effects include low absorption of some vitamins like vitamin A, but these results in a dose of more than 5 grams per day.
19) Vegetables
If you are eager to lower your cholesterol, enhance your cardiac health, vegetables are the most important element to add to your meal plan. They are rich in fibers, vitamins, minerals, and full of antioxidants. Most vegetables have no cholesterol, and even have cholesterol-lowering soluble fibers like pectin which can be found in many vegetables like carrots, okra, eggplants, and potatoes.
20) Vegetable oil
Vegetable oils like sunflower, corn oil, canola, and other vegetables oil uses instead of butter, margarine, and shortening may help decrease your total cholesterol and LDL levels.