Cholesterol has a reputation for increasing your risk for heart disease and stroke. But what exactly is cholesterol and why should you worry about your cholesterol levels? Read on to find out more about cholesterol, and the five habits you can break to improve your cholesterol levels.
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10 Foods that Can Help Prevent High Cholesterol
What is cholesterol and why is it important?
Cholesterol is also present in foods, including eggs, shellfish, red meat and full-fat dairy products. Still, eating more dietary cholesterol generallydoes not affectyour blood cholesterol.
Simply put, the more LDL cholesterol present, the more cholesterol is attached to the walls of the arteries, which becomes plaque. As the plaque builds up, blood flow becomes restricted, making the heart work harder. This buildup can lead to heart problems, like stroke or a heart attack.
What You Need to Know About Your Cholesterol Levels
5 habits to break to improve cholesterol levels
1. Eating too much added sugar
Added sugarsare forms of refined carbohydrates added to foods and beverages during production and in meal preparation. Unlike naturally occurring sugars, which are found in vegetables, fruits and dairy products, consumingadded sugarsmay raise LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol, leading toan increased riskfor coronary heart disease. In short, reducing your added sugar intake may help to improve your HDL cholesterol levels.
TheAmerican Heart Association(AHA) recommends limiting added sugar intake to no more than 100 calories a day for women and 150 calories a day for men, equivalent to about 6 teaspoons and 9 teaspoons, respectively.
Added sugars are found in food and drinks, including sodas, energy drinks, some yogurts, breakfast cereals and oatmeal, cereal bars, desserts, baked goods and more.To cut back on your added sugar intake, check the nutrition label for added sugars. Read the ingredient list as added sugars come in various names including, brown sugar, molasses, agave, honey, fructose and high-fructose corn syrup.
If you drink soda regularly, consider cutting back on the amount you drink. You can also reduce the serving size of foods that provide added sugars, and try making sweet treats without added sugar.
2. Eating too many refined grains
Like added sugars, refined grains provide minimal nutritional value as the bran and germ, which include essential nutrients like dietary fiber, are stripped during the manufacturing process.
As a result, the starchy part of the grain remains. When consumed, it becomes absorbed into the blood sooner, causing sudden spikes in the blood sugar level and triggering the pancreas to produce and release more insulin. Over time, this could lead to weight gain, increasedtriglyceridelevels, insulin resistance and a greater risk for coronary heart disease.
Refined grains include white flour, white pasta and noodles, potato chips, cakes, cookies and more.
3. Not getting enough dietary fiber
Besides whole grains, other foods such as vegetables, fruits,beansand legumes also have dietary fiber.
Specifically, the soluble fiber present in these foods acts as a sponge that binds to dietary cholesterol and fat and removes them in the stools.
Men and women are recommended to consume 38 grams and 25 grams, respectively, of fiber per day. While there are no specific recommended amounts for soluble fiber, consider including at least10 gramsof soluble fiber as part of your diet if you have high cholesterol.
When you increase your fiber intake, start slowly and make sure you are also increasing your water consumption to minimize the likelihood of constipation. (Here are5 easy ways to add more fiber to your diet.)
4. Not eating enough omega-3 fats
Until recently, saturated fats found in red meats, pork, poultry skin and full-fat dairy products were blamed for increasing one’s risk for high cholesterol and heart diseases. Emergingresearchsuggests that saturated fats can still be a part of a healthy diet, but consuming morepolyunsaturated fatsmay reduceLDLcholesterol levels.
TheAmerican Heart Associationrecommends consuming no more than five to six percent of calories from saturated fats. This amount is equivalent to 11 to 13 grams of saturated fats on a 2,000-calorie diet.
Additionally, including fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines as part of the diet rich in omega-3 fats, a type of polyunsaturated fat, may also increase your “good"HDL cholesterol. TheAHAsuggests consuming fatty fish at least twice a week. Try and reach for otheromega-3 rich foodssuch as walnuts, flaxseeds and chia seeds.
5. Being inactive
Bottom line
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