5 Foods to Stave Off Cholesterol

Fight the war on high LDL cholesterol levels with these natural foods. Knock down your cholesterol levels naturally. These powerful foods in conjunction with a healthy diet can easily help you win the war against high LDL cholesterol. High HDL cholesterol levels is good, since HDL helps to bring down LDL levels.

*Oats

Highly advertised on television as a powerful cholesterol-lowering agent, the oat is probably the most well-known of these foods. The oats have a deep history in Scotland, where it is the main staple of the Scottish diet. When the Scots settled in Vermont, they brought oats with them. This made Vermont the state that eats the most oats.

The property of oat that helps in the fight against cholesterol is its soluble fiber. Soluble fiber makes it harder for LDL cholesterol to be absorbed into the blood stream while food is digesting in your intestines. Thus there is less bad LDL cholesterol that makes it into the bloodstream and therefore less to stick to and harden inside the walls of your arteries.

Oats are found in a wide variety of foods such as oatmeal cookies, granola bars etc. Oatmeal is the most associated product with oats. If you don’t like oatmeal, many companies are now incorporating oats into cereals and bread. Don’t be afraid to add this powerful food to your arsenal.

*Garlic

This little bulb has been around and used for centuries. The bulb was nailed to doors and hung around necks to ward off vampires and other evil spirits. Some believe that eating the bulb can increase desire or the body’s chi. Garlic is also used heavily in Mediterranean and Chinese cooking, which is probably why you don’t hear much about Chinese vampires.

Of course, the most frequently advertised property of garlic is its cholesterol & blood pressure lowering properties. Garlic is a natural antioxidant. It is thought that it helps prevent the LDLs from building up on the artery walls. Adding garlic as part of a healthy diet can help you lower cholesterol levels as well as help you fight the common cold.

Garlic is most often used in cooking, adding flavor to many different foods. The strong flavor and smell of garlic often prevents people from eating it raw. One of the favorite ways to take garlic is in pill form but ensure that the pill format has allicen as this is thought to be the active ingredient and some steam distilled garlic pills apparently dont have it.

*Onions

Garlic is usually associated with its close cousin, the onion. The two naturally go together. Historically, onions were probably more popular than garlic. As a side note, the onion used to be an easy and acceptable form of payment for historic renters. Personally, i would prefer a gold coin, but who am I to critique my elders.

The onion is a source of chromium and B6 vitamins. Both sources are linked to lowering cholesterol levels and preventing heart disease. Along with its cholesterol lowering properties, the onion has other benefits including lowering the risk of cancer.

Unfortunately, there are only two ways to eat an onion, raw or cooked. Yet with such a wide variety of onions available, it is relatively easy to find a variety that appeases your taste buds. If you don’t like the sharp taste of stronger onions, try the sweet variety.

*Virgin Olive Oil

Olive oil is another extremely potent fighterin the war against high cholesterol. Produce mainly in Greece, Homer once stated that olive oil was liquid gold. The highly valued oil holds a high place for use in religious ceremonies. Perhaps its most unusual use was a mouthwash for bad breath.

Olive oil contains a high amount of monounsaturated fats. These fats help reduce your LDL cholesterol levels. Just by replacing your regular cooking oil, you can control the amount of bad fats that you are consuming.

Olive oil is widely available and easily obtained. Many companies are jumping on the ‘health train’ and using olive oil in their salad dressings and mayonnaise. The pill version of olive oil is available to take as well.

*Primrose Oil

The primrose is one of the native plants of North and South America. The eye-catching yellow flowers open at night instead of during the day. It was once known as Kings cureall, for its many rumored but unsubstantiated medical properties.

Primrose oil provides essential fatty acids to the cholesterol lowering equation. Primrose oil is also known to relieve eczema and ease the symptoms associated with PMS.

Primrose oil is available in pill form as a dietary supplement. You can find it in grocery stores and drug stores.

Lowering your cholesterol is up to you. Combined with a healthy diet, these powerful foods will help you conquer those life threatening high ldl levels. You can conquer your high LDL cholesterol with the right food decisions.

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