Four Dietary Recommendations to Regulate Your Cholesterol
Has your doctor told you that you have high cholesterol levels? If so, they may have also given you some medications and recommendations to keep it under control. Accelerate your recovery with the following dietary recommendations to help regulate your cholesterol.
You’ll see that these tips are practical and very fast. Best of all, they’re easy to incorporate into your regular routine and won’t force you to spend more. Ready? Note them down and put them into practice right away.
What’s cholesterol?
Before we share any dietary recommendations for regulating your cholesterol, you should know that this substance is produced by the liver. Your cholesterol level provides the cells of your body with the right amount of nutrients.
Problems arise when you eat poor quality fats. In this case, the lipid profile will be affected and the level of LDL lipoprotein oxidation will be higher. This can negatively affect health, according to an article published in the BMJ.
Dietary recommendations to regulate your cholesterol
1. Consume monounsaturated fats
Some people think that if they have high cholesterol, they should stop consuming all types of fat. However, the dietary recommendation that will help your regulate your cholesterol is to consume just healthy fats.
Monounsaturated fats increase your levels of HDL cholesterol. This is the good type that everyone needs in high amounts.
Some of the foods that contain this type of fat include: olive oil, nuts, canola oil, olives, coconut oil, almonds, egg and avocado.
Try including one of these foods to each meal (breakfast, lunch and dinner). When buying them, be sure to choose the highest quality products to get the best results.
Remember to watch your portions, as it’s easy to consume too many calories. One thing you should never do is mix two natural fats, unless you’ve carefully measured your portions.
For instance, if you have nuts in your salad, avoid dressing it with oil. Instead, add flavor with a vinaigrette or similar dressing.
You may be interested in: 6 health benefits of extra virgin olive oil
2. Consume more polyunsaturated fats, especially omega-3
Another dietary recommendation for lowering cholesterol levels is the consumption of omega-3. Like monounsaturated fats, omega-3s reduce your levels of LDL cholesterol according to a study published in 2016.
In one study, researchers found that people who substitute other fats for omega-3s reduced the following:
- LDL cholesterol
- Insulin resistance
- Their risk of type 2 diabetes
The best foods that contain this type of fat are: salmon, tuna, nuts and shrimp.
One way to ensure that you’re getting enough omega-3 is to incorporate a portion of fish into your diet twice a week. Even if salmon is especially well known for its omega-3 content, it’s not mandatory to choose it.
In addition to salmon, you can consume fresh tuna, not canned. This fish is also a very healthy food source.
3. Avoid trans fats at all costs
Another dietary recommendation you should remember is to avoid all trans fats. These are usually found in foods that have been heavily processed, such as margarine, cakes and commercial pastries.
Trans fats are used very often in the food industry because they can withstand higher temperatures. They also provide better texture than other fats.
Despite these benefits, trans fats negatively affect your heart health and reduce your levels of HDL cholesterol.
So, when you buy processed, pre-cooked or frozen meals, check the labels. Ideally, you should avoid anything that has the words “partially hydrogenated”.
4. Consume plenty of soluble fiber
Soluble fiber is found in vegetables, which is difficult to dissolve in water and that your stomach won’t digest. This means that it reaches your digestive tract intact and forces it to work.
In addition, this is a vital element for the correct reproduction of healthy intestinal bacteria (probiotics). When your body has the right balance of probiotics, bad cholesterol levels will drastically diminish.
Diet can influence lipid profile
When modulating the lipid profile, it’s necessary to modify a series of habits. A varied and balanced diet, together with regular physical activity, significantly reduces cardiovascular risk.
Eating monounsaturated and polyunsaturated lipids and reducing the consumption of trans fats will improve your HDL lipoprotein levels. It’ll also contribute to decreasing the oxidation rate of LDL cholesterol, a parameter related to cardiovascular risk.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Souza RJ., Mente A., Maroleanu A., Cozma AI., et al., Intake of saturated and trans unsaturated fatty acids and risk of all cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes: systematic review and meta analysis of observational studies. BMJ, 2015.
- Backes J., Anzalone D., Hilleman D., Catini J., The clinical relevance of omega 3 fatty acids in the management of hypertriglyceridemia. Lipids Health Dis, 2016.
