Cholesterol is a waxy substance produced by the liver that
is in many foods such as eggs, meats and dairy products. According to the
American Heart Association, high LDL cholesterol is a serious health risk and a
major risk factor for developing heart disease. But simple dietary changes can
help you reduce cholesterol levels. Fruits and vegetables contain phytosterols,
cholesterol-like substances known to reduce serum cholesterol, according to the
DietaryFiberFood website.
When
you have too much cholesterol in your blood, the excess LDL, or "bad
cholesterol," accumulates on the inside of the arteries that nourish your
heart. Fruits, vegetables and grains high in soluble fiber can help to lower
your blood cholesterol.
Low-density
lipoproteins, or LDL cholesterol, is "bad" cholesterol. It's the form
of cholesterol that contributes to the accumulation of plaque along the
arterial walls, narrowing the blood vessels and eventually restricting blood
flow. For health reasons, you want low levels of LDL in your bloodstream. You
can help lower your LDL cholesterol by changing your diet.
While
most fruits contain fiber, not as many are rich in soluble fiber. Some of the
more beneficial fruits for reducing cholesterol include apples, oranges, plums
and tangerines. There also is soluble fiber in bananas, apricots, blackberries,
cherries, strawberries, peaches, pineapples and grapefruit.
Soluble Fiber Basics
After
you swallow a bite of fruit or vegetable, the partially digested food travels
through your stomach and into your small intestine. The sugar, water, minerals
and vitamins from these plant foods move through the intestinal walls and into
your bloodstream. Soluble fiber, on the other hand, stays inside your digestive
tract and combines with bile acids from your liver to form a gel that's
eventually passed in your stool. Your liver takes some of the cholesterol it
has stored to make more bile acids, and then pulls cholesterol from your blood
to replace its lost supply.
The
level of both LDL and total cholesterol in your blood drops, lowering your risk
of developing heart disease.he ability of fiber to reduce low-density
lipoproteins largely involves the absorption of cholesterol. This nutrient
reduces the rate of cholesterol absorption into the bloodstream by forcing more
bile to be eliminated in waste. As bile levels decline, your liver pulls
low-density lipoproteins from the blood to create bile salts needed to produce
bile. This lowers the low-density lipoproteins in the blood, reducing the risk
of plaque accumulation within the blood vessels.
Fruits
Tropical
and citrus fruits, including oranges, grapefruits, mangos and bananas, contain
significant amounts of soluble fiber that lowers cholesterol. Strawberries,
blueberries and other berries with edible seeds are good choices. Apples, pears
and plums provide soluble fiber, especially when you eat the skin as part of
the fruit. Eat plenty of figs, dates, apricots and other dried fruits to boost
your intake of cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber.
Vegetables
While
vegetables typically contain more insoluble fiber than soluble fiber, they do
deliver enough soluble fiber to help you fight high cholesterol. Choose
cruciferous, or gas-producing, vegetables, including cabbage, Brussels sprouts,
broccoli and cauliflower. Dark green leafy vegetables, including kale, Swiss
chard, dandelions, spinach, collards and turnip greens contribute heart-healthy
soluble fiber to your daily diet. Enjoy the edible skins, seeds or peels of
vegetables to get the most fiber.
Soluble Fiber
Choosing
fruits and vegetables rich in soluble fiber is helpful in lowering LDL levels.
The soluble fiber found in fruits and vegetables hinders the absorption of
cholesterol into the system. The best sources of soluble fiber in vegetables
include peas, squash, carrots, corn, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and sweet
potatoes. The best fruits from this list include apples, pears, citrus fruits,
berries, apricots, figs and prunes.
Niacin
Eating
fresh produce high in niacin, also known as vitamin B3, helps decrease
production of and increase the elimination of cholesterol, according to the
World's Healthiest Foods website. The best sources of niacin include avocados
and vegetables such as asparagus, peas, potatoes, mushrooms, corn, artichokes
and lima beans. Sweet potato, kale, broccoli, carrots and green pepper also
contain significant quantities of niacin.
Vitamin C
Eating
fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C helps prevent the oxidation of
cholesterol. In addition to citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit, there
are other fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamin C, including guava,
kiwi, blackberries, red peppers, kale, Brussels sprouts and broccoli. Other
produce containing vitamin C includes mangoes, passionfruit, pineapple,
strawberries, amaranth leaves, bok choy, Swiss chard and butternut squash.
Vitamin E
Vitamin
E helps prevent the growth of blood vessel plaques and the oxidation of
cholesterol, one of the factors in promoting blockage of the arteries,
according to the World's Healthiest Foods website. Many foods contain vitamin
E, but some of the best sources include spinach, chard, squash, parsnip,
potatoes and spirulina. Fruits that contain vitamin E include blackberries,
blueberries, boysenberries, cranberries, guava, kiwi, mango, nectarines, papaya
and peaches.
Dietary Changes
Eating
a heart-healthy diet has a direct impact on cholesterol levels, according to
the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. One component of a heart-healthy
diet is incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your meals. Both fruits
and vegetables are rich in soluble fiber, a nutrient known to lower
cholesterol.
In
addition to incorporating foods high in soluble fiber into your diet, the
American Heart Association recommends limiting your fat intake to 25 percent to
35 percent of your caloric intake, limiting saturated fat to no more than 7
percent of your caloric intake and limiting transfat to no more than 1 percent
of your caloric intake. It's also best to limit your dietary cholesterol
consumption to no more than 200mg a day.
Considerations
Nuts,
particularly peanuts, walnuts, almonds and Brazil nuts, are high-fiber foods.
Edible seeds, such as sunflower or soy nuts, are rich in the soluble fiber that
lowers blood cholesterol. Legumes, such as dried beans, peas and lentils, are
also high in soluble fiber. These foods also deliver heart-healthy
polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats that further reduce your blood
cholesterol level. The American Heart Association recommends eating at least
four servings of nuts, seeds and legumes every week to improve your cholesterol
management.
Recommendations
According
to the Mayo Clinic website, between 5 grams and 10 grams of soluble fiber a day
can help lower the levels of low-density lipoproteins in the bloodstream. An
apple contains roughly 2 grams of soluble fiber, so you'd need to eat three to
five a day to make an impact on cholesterol levels. Since this can be
difficult, you can add other foods high in soluble fiber, such as oatmeal, oat
bran, pinto beans, potatoes, peas, broccoli and carrots.
References
- American Heart Association: Good vs. Bad Cholesterol
- American Heart Association: Frequently Asked Questions About Some Common Foods
- American Heart Association: Know Your Fats
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Heart Disease Fact Sheet
- Dietaryfiberfoods: List of Foods That Help Lower Serum Cholesterol
- GlobalRPh.com: Soluble Fiber Calculator
- Mayo Clinic: Cholesterol--Top 5 Foods to Lower Your Numbers
- MayoClinic.com: Dietary Fiber: Essential for a Heart-Healthy Diet
- Mayo Clinic: High Cholesterol
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: Coronary Heart Disease Explained
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: High Blood Cholesterol
- The world's Healthiest Food: Elevated Cholesterol 3: What foods and nutrients are good for healthy cholesterol levels?
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