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Diet To Lower Ldl And Triglycerides

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Nutrition : How to Lower LDL Cholesterol and Triglycerides

One of the most important foods in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet is extra virgin olive oil.

One five-year study gave older adults at risk of heart disease 4 tablespoons a day of extra virgin olive oil alongside a Mediterranean diet.

The olive oil group had a 30% lower risk of major heart events, such as stroke and heart attack, compared to people who followed a low-fat diet .

Olive oil is a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids, the kind that may help raise good HDL and lower bad LDL cholesterol.

It is also a source of polyphenols, some of which reduce the inflammation that can drive heart disease .

Summary

High cholesterol levels are a major risk factor for heart disease.

Thankfully, you can lower this risk by incorporating certain foods into your diet.

Upping your intake of these foods will put you on the path to a balanced diet and keep your heart healthy.

You can also practice techniques like mindful eating to make sure youre enjoying your meal and getting full without overdoing it.

Dark Chocolate And Cocoa

Cocoa is the main ingredient in dark chocolate.

It may seem too good to be true, but research verifies the claims that dark chocolate and cocoa can lower bad LDL cholesterol .

In one study, healthy adults drank a cocoa beverage twice a day for a month.

They experienced a reduction in bad LDL cholesterol of 0.17 mmol/l . Their blood pressure also decreased and their good HDL cholesterol increased .

Cocoa and dark chocolate also seem to protect the bad LDL cholesterol in your blood from oxidation, which is a key cause of heart disease .

However, chocolate is often high in added sugar which negatively affects heart health.

Therefore, you should use cocoa alone or choose dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 7585% or higher.

Summary

The effect seems strongest in people with high cholesterol.

SummaryThere is some evidence that soy foods can reduce heart disease risk factors, especially in people with high cholesterol.

Know The Dangers Of Trans Fats

Trans fats are dangerous for your heart, because they raise low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The chief culprit youll see on product labels is partially hydrogenated oil. Trans fats are the result of adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to increase shelf life. This may make some baked and fried foods taste better, but trans fats are very unhealthy, particularly for people with high triglycerides. In fact, trans fats should make up less than 1 percent of your total calories, according to the World Health Organization. Check your food labels: If a food contains trans fats or hydrogenated oils, leave it on the shelf.

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Things To Add To Your Diet For Lower Cholesterol

Nearly one in eight American adults have high levels of total cholesterol, reports the CDC. We tend to see it a lot more in the young-adult population than youd expect,Gina Curry MD, of Group Health, says.

While you may be tempted to ask your doctor for a cholesterol-lowering prescription, she suggests making a few dietary changes, first.

Swap Fatty Meats For Lean Cuts

Foods To Eat To Lower Triglycerides Levels

Fatty meats are not good for you if you are trying to get lower triglycerides. Saturated fat in meat increases bad LDL cholesterol and contributes to high levels of triglycerides and cholesterol. Switch to lean cuts of meat if you do indulge. Avoid processed meats including cold cuts, bacon, ham, and sausage as these contribute to an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even cancer. Fatty fish is a better protein choice as it supplies healthy fats that boost heart health. Omega-3 fatty acids in salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, and tuna boost heart health and may help reduce your risk of a heart attack. However, avoid large game fish like swordfish, sailfish and king mackerel as they may contain mercury.

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Limit Your Sugar Intake

Added sugar is a big part of many peoples diets.

While the American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 100150 calories of added sugar per day, one study found that the average American eats about 308 calories of added sugar daily .

Added sugar is commonly found in sweets, soft drinks, and fruit juice.

Extra sugar in your diet may be turned into triglycerides, which can lead to an increase in blood triglyceride levels, along with other heart disease risk factors.

A 2020 review that included data on 6,730 people found that those who consumed sugar-sweetened beverages regularly were over 50% more likely to have high triglycerides, compared with those who did not drink them regularly .

Another study found that consuming high amounts of added sugar is also associated with higher blood triglyceride levels in children .

Fortunately, several studies have shown that low carb diets can lead to a decrease in blood triglyceride levels .

Even a simple change such as replacing sugar-sweetened beverages with water could decrease triglycerides in some people .

Summary

Minimizing added sugar in your diet from sugary beverages and sweets can reduce your blood triglyceride levels.

What Is High Cholesterol

Unhealthy or high cholesterol levels occur when theres too much of the bad kind or not enough of the good kind floating around in our blood. When those levels are balanced, cholesterol flows freely through our blood vessels and helps keep us healthy. When those levels get out of balance, theres a higher chance cholesterol will build up in the inner walls of the arteries that bring blood to the heart and brain. This can narrow arteries and increase the risk of heart attack or stroke.1

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Lunches To Reduce Your Risk Of Heart Attack

Here are some flavorful lunches you can pack, and a few you may even be able to buy.

Soup & Salad

1 cup vegetable, black bean, or lentil soup

5 whole-wheat crackers

2 cups salad made with dark greens, like spinach, mixed greens, or radicchio

1 cup of any combo of colorful, chopped veggies: broccoli, carrots, red bell peppers, sugar snap peas, snow peas, tomatoes

1 cup fruits: apples, grapes, kumquats, pears

1 Tbsp salad dressing made with olive oil or canola oil

Sandwich With Double Crunch

2 slices whole-wheat bread or 1 hamburger bun

2 oz tuna

Dill pickle relish or sugar-free sweet pickle relish

Top with thin slices of apple or pear for crunch

Add this crunchy side:

Finger Salad

1 cup veggies like baby carrots, grape tomatoes, and red pepper strips mixed with fruit such as apple, grapes, or pear

Chinese Delight

1 cup veggie stir-fry with 2 oz shrimp, chicken, or tofu

1/2 cup whole-wheat pasta or rice

1 cup pineapple chunks

2 oz grilled chicken breast on whole-grain sandwich

1 cup side salad

1 piece of fresh fruit

Cut Back On Sugar And Refined Carbs

Dr. Sarah Hallberg on triglycerides, LDL and HDL cholesterol on a ketogenic diet

Different carbohydrate-loaded foods also contain very different nutritional levels.

Dr. Nissen recommends scaling back or eliminating:

Dr. Nissen advises that increasing your fiber intake may lower triglyceride levels. If you have high triglyceride levels, theres a good chance you dont ingest close to the recommended 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day, he says.

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Breakfasts That Protect Your Heart

Start the day off with healthy decisions. Choose one of these delicious breakfasts.

Cereal & Berry Bowl

1 cup 1% or skim milk

1/2 cup oatmeal with 1-2 Tbsp of chopped walnuts

Or 1 serving of cold cereal, with 5 or more grams of fiber and 8 or less grams of sugar

1 cup raspberries, strawberries, or blueberries on top

Egg Sandwich

1 whole egg, 2 egg whites, or 1/4 cup egg substitutes

1 cup or more of diced tomatoes, spinach leaves, minced onion, and mushrooms

1 tsp trans-fat-free margarine or a small amount of olive oil

2 slices whole wheat toast

1 orange in sections or 1/4 cantaloupe on the side

Yogurt Parfait

1 cup low-fat or nonfat yogurt

1 cup high-fiber cereal

1 sliced banana, 1 cup mango, or 1 peach

A small handful of almonds on top

Salmon Bagel

1 oz sliced smoked salmon

1 Tbsp low-fat or nonfat cream cheese

Capers or fresh dill

1 cup melon cubes with any type of berry on the side

How Can I Lower Cholesterol With Diet

Heart-healthy lifestyle changes include a diet to lower your cholesterol. The DASH eating plan is one example. Another is the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes diet, which recommends that you

Choose healthier fats.You should limit both total fat and saturated fat. No more than 25 to 35% of your daily calories should come from dietary fats, and less than 7% of your daily calories should come from saturated fat. Depending upon how many calories you eat per day, here are the maximum amounts of fats that you should eat:

Calories per Day
69-97 grams 17 grams

Saturated fat is a bad fat because it raises your LDL level more than anything else in your diet. It is found in some meats, dairy products, chocolate, baked goods, and deep-fried and processed foods.

Trans fat is another bad fat it can raise your LDL and lower you HDL . Trans fat is mostly in foods made with hydrogenated oils and fats, such as stick margarine, crackers, and french fries.

Instead of these bad fats, try healthier fats, such as lean meat, nuts, and unsaturated oils like canola, olive, and safflower oils.

Limit foods with cholesterol. If you are trying to lower your cholesterol, you should have less than 200 mg a day of cholesterol. Cholesterol is in foods of animal origin, such as liver and other organ meats, egg yolks, shrimp, and whole milk dairy products.

Eat plenty of soluble fiber. Foods high in soluble fiber help prevent your digestive tract from absorbing cholesterol. These foods include:

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Cholesterol And Healthy Eating

What we eat has an impact on our cholesterol levels and can help reduce our risk of disease. The Heart Foundation recommends following a heart-healthy eating pattern, which means eating a wide variety of fresh and unprocessed foods and limiting highly processed foods including take away, baked goods, chocolate, chips, lollies and sugary drinks. Not only does this help to maintain a healthy and interesting diet, but it provides essential nutrients to the body.

A heart-healthy eating pattern includes:

  • plenty of vegetables, fruit and wholegrains
  • a variety of healthy protein-rich foods , legumes , nuts and seeds. Smaller amounts of eggs and lean poultry can also be included in a heart-healthy eating pattern. If choosing red meat, make sure it is lean and limit to one to three times a week
  • unflavoured milk, yoghurt and cheese. People with high cholesterol should choose reduced fat varieties
  • healthy fats and oils. Choose nuts, seeds, avocados, olives and their oils for cooking
  • herbs and spices to flavour foods, instead of adding salt.

This way of eating is also naturally high in fibre, which is good news, because a high intake of dietary fibre can also reduce levels of bad cholesterol in the blood.

Also, be mindful of how much you are eating. Portion sizes have increased over time and many of us are eating more than we need which can increase our cholesterol and risk of heart disease.

Serving size can vary depending on age, gender and specific nutrition needs.

What Foods Can Help Lower Triglycerides

Many of the same lifestyle changes and medications can lower both ...

Now that you know which foods to avoid, what foods can you add into your diet that can help support healthy triglyceride levels? “Foods to emphasize are high fiber vegetables with lower sugar content, such as cruciferous vegetables,” Archibald says. “Including legumes, canned or cooked from their dried versions, will add both fiber and satiety to the plate.”

Adding healthy omega-3 fats can be helpful as well. “Among fats, seek out foods rich in omega-3 fats, which not only act as natural anti-inflammatories in the body but can also prevent the production of triglycerides and cholesterol in the liver,” says Archibald.

Here are 20 foods that can lower triglycerides.

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Eat A Variety Of Unsaturated Fats

Two main kinds of fats are found in food: saturated and unsaturated.

On a chemical level, saturated fats contain no double bonds and are very straight, allowing them to pack together tightly and stay solid at room temperature.

Unsaturated fats contain at least one double bond and have a bent shape, preventing them from joining together as tightly. These attributes make them liquid at room temperature.

Research shows that replacing most of your saturated fats with unsaturated fats can reduce total cholesterol by 9% and bad LDL cholesterol by 11% in just eight weeks .

Longer-term studies have also found that people who eat more unsaturated fats and fewer saturated fats tend to have lower cholesterol levels over time .

Foods like avocados, olives, fatty fish and nuts contain ample heart-healthy unsaturated fats, so its beneficial to eat them regularly .

Summary Eating more unsaturated fats and fewer saturated fats has been linked to lower total cholesterol and bad LDL levels over time. Avocados, olives, fatty fish and nuts are especially rich in unsaturated fats.

Healthy Eating Tips To Lower Cholesterol

As well as sticking to a varied and healthy diet, try these tips to help you manage your cholesterol:

  • The Heart Foundation recommends that people follow a heart-healthy eating pattern, which is built on eating mostly plant-based foods. Eating more plant-based foods like vegetables, legumes, fruit, wholegrains, nuts and seeds is good for heart health.
  • Include legumes , beans in at least two meals a week. Check food labels and choose the lowest sodium products.
  • Beans make a great alternative to meat in tacos, or snack on hummus with vegetable sticks. You can also add legumes to soups, pasta sauces, curries and stews.
  • Use tofu or lentils instead of meat in stir fries or curries.
  • Choose wholegrain breads, cereals, pasta, rice and noodles.
  • Snack on plain, unsalted nuts and fresh fruit .
  • Use avocado, nut butters, tahini or spreads made from healthy unsaturated fats instead of those made with saturated fat .
  • Use healthy oils for cooking some include canola, sunflower, soybean, olive , sesame and peanut oils.
  • For people at high risk of heart disease, the Heart Foundation recommends people eat 2-3 grams of plant sterol-enriched foods every day .
  • Enjoy fish two to three times a week .
  • Most people dont need to limit the number of eggs they eat each week. However, a maximum of seven eggs each week is recommended for people with high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Select lean meat and limit unprocessed red meat to less than 350g per week.
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    Medications Place In Cholesterol Management

    Nearly 50% of Americans have cholesterol levels that are elevated enough to warrant medication, but many are not treated for it, said Lepor.

    Probably the reasonthe number 1 cause of death isatherosclerosis, thickening or hardening of the arteries, either from coronary or carotid disease is that there are so many people with elevated cholesterol who should be treated and are not treated, he said.

    While he believes doctors could be more assertive about treating cholesterol, he said patients also need to comply with effective cholesterol-lowering treatments like statins.

    In addition to diet and exercise, Pierce said statin therapy is a first-line treatment.

    Not only do statins lower the total cholesterol, LDL , triglycerides, and help increase the HDL , but they are also able to decrease inflammation in the vessel walls and stabilize plaque, thus providing cardiac protection, she said.

    If statins are not tolerated or do not reduce the levels enough, she said there are other options to discuss with your healthcare professional.

    For instance, Lepor said a new treatment called Leqvio, is an HCP-administered injection that is considered an add-on therapy to a statin regimen and diet and exercise routine. It is administered twice yearly after two initial injections.

    We dont downplay lifestyle modifications, but they also need to be associated with the use of pharmacology, he said.

    How To Lower Cholesterol Naturally In 28 Simple Steps

    Lowering Triglycerides – Mayo Clinic

    By Rachael Link, MS, RD

    There are tons of natural remedies out there for how to lower cholesterol levels, often promising quick results with next to no effort required on your part. But while its true that there are tons of options to keep cholesterol levels in check, it can actually be as simple as swapping out a few foods in your diet for healthier options, switching up your workout routine or adding a supplement or two into the mix.

    Ready to get started? Lets take a look at 28 simple methods for how to lower cholesterol and how it can impact your health.

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    Stop Smoking To Lower Cholesterol

    The ADA recommends if you smoke to quit to improve diabetes management. Quitting smoking can also improve your overall health and reduce your risk of cancer.

    There are numerous programs, support systems, and medications available to help you quit smoking. Studies show it might take a few tries to quit your smoking habit for good. Not smoking when you have diabetes can help you reduce your risks of cardiovascular disease and other diabetes complications.

    No Apparent Danger Of Very Low Ldl Cholesterol

    LDL is a key component of many hormones and all cell membranes, which allow cells to communicate with each other. Earlier studies had raised concerns that lowering LDL too far might interfere with normal cellular functions, especially in organs that have higher lipid concentrations, such as the brain and reproductive organs. And there have been reports of a slightly increased risk of osteoporosis and brain bleeding in patients treated with high doses of statin medications.

    Well-known side effects in people who use statin medications include muscle aches and a slightly increased risk of diabetes, especially when high doses of medication are used. Whether these risks are due to the statin medications themselves or the lowering of LDL is not entirely clear.

    However, people with rare inherited disorders in which LDL levels are extremely low from birth appear to have normal fertility and no major organ dysfunction. Therefore, an extremely low LDL by itself does not appear to be dangerous in these unusual cases.

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