Barley And Oat Pancakes
While some of the recipes above help curb your hunger and savory cravings, this one is a filling and healthy breakfast! Instead of the usual flour, youll substitute it with barley flour thats definitely a healthier option. Not only does this pancake make a filling breakfast but it is also low in cholesterol. In our opinion, barley flour is a good addition to have in your pantry.
Barley contains fiber thats found in fruits, vegetables, and oats. And as it turns out, this recipe contains oats too. Hand in hand, theyll help lower your cholesterol.
Recipe for Inspiration: Barley Oat Pancakes
What Are The Best Foods For Lowering Your Cholesterol
There are so many good foods that help lower your cholesterol and maintain your heart health. Here are just a few Im doing a series of heart-healthy recipes, so watch my blog for parts 2 and 3 if you want more ideas and yummy recipes for lowering cholesterol. Who knows? Maybe Ill even do a couple more collections as I do more research on heart health and diet. Make sure you adjust the recipes as suggested below to ensure these are all beneficial for your heart.
Hot Peppers the capsaicin in hot peppers lowers blood cholesterol levels and blocks a gene that makes arteries contract. If you like hot peppers, totally add them to your meals! Theyre good for your heart.
Recipe suggestions:
- Cilantro almond salsa a super heart healthy condiment. Its one of my go-to recipes and everyone seriously LOVES it! If youre watching your sodium intake, feel free to adjust the amount of salt.
- Hot Pepper Harissa Bean & Veggie Stew a hearty vegetable stew thatll clear out your sinuses and leave you feeling fabulous.
- Spicy West African Fried Rice use brown rice in this flavorful dish to make it extra heart healthy.
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Use Liquid Vegetable Oils In Place Of Solid Fats
Liquid vegetable oils such as canola, safflower, sunflower, soybean and olive oil can often be used instead of solid fats, such as butter, lard or shortening. If you must use margarine, try the soft or liquid kind.
Use a little liquid oil to:
- Pan-fry fish and poultry.
- Make cream sauces and soups using low-fat or fat-free milk.
- Add to whipped or scalloped potatoes using low-fat or fat-free milk.
- Brown rice for Spanish, curried or stir-fried rice.
- Cook dehydrated potatoes and other prepared foods that call for fat to be added.
- Make pancakes or waffles.
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Add These Foods To Lower Ldl Cholesterol
Different foods lower cholesterol in various ways. Some deliver soluble fiber, which binds cholesterol and its precursors in the digestive system and drags them out of the body before they get into circulation. Some give you polyunsaturated fats, which directly lower LDL. And some contain plant sterols and stanols, which block the body from absorbing cholesterol.
1. Oats. An easy first step to lowering your cholesterol is having a bowl of oatmeal or cold oat-based cereal like Cheerios for breakfast. It gives you 1 to 2 grams of soluble fiber. Add a banana or some strawberries for another half-gram. Current nutrition guidelines recommend getting 20 to 35 grams of fiber a day, with at least 5 to 10 grams coming from soluble fiber.
2. Barley and other whole grains. Like oats and oat bran, barley and other whole grains can help lower the risk of heart disease, mainly via the soluble fiber they deliver.
3. Beans. Beans are especially rich in soluble fiber. They also take a while for the body to digest, meaning you feel full for longer after a meal. That’s one reason beans are a useful food for folks trying to lose weight. With so many choices from navy and kidney beans to lentils, garbanzos, black-eyed peas, and beyond and so many ways to prepare them, beans are a very versatile food.
4. Eggplant and okra. These two low-calorie vegetables are good sources of soluble fiber.
What To Look Out For When Shopping For Foods To Lower Cholesterol:
When grocery shopping, there are foods you’ll want to focus on and foods to avoid to lower your cholesterol. To lower your cholesterol, focus on foods high in fiber like canned or dried beans or lentils, fruits and vegetables , as well as whole grains like quinoa, oatmeal, brown rice and whole-wheat bread. Other healthy options to focus on include those foods high in unsaturated fats like nuts and seedsincluding chia and flax, as well as olive oil, avocado and foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon. These healthy fats help raise your good HDL cholesterol which protects your heart. Some other foods you can eat that may surprise youeggs and shrimp. Although traditionally avoided because they’re high in dietary cholesterol, there’s not a lot of evidence that cholesterol in foods actually raises our body’s cholesterol, so feel free to include these foods in your healthy diet plan.
To identify trans fats, look at the ingredient list and try to avoid foods that say “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated fats.” You’ll often find them in processed foods, especially processed baked goods, as well as some peanut butters, so try to opt for a natural peanut butter that contains just two ingredients: peanuts and salt.
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Should I Eat Fiber For Dinner To Lower Cholesterol
Fiber is another celebrity dinner guest worth inviting to your next meal. Reviewing studies to date, experts commented in the peer-reviewed science journal Nutrients, that fiber is heart-healthy. More specifically, they noted the dietary fiber in whole-grain protein food , fruits and vegetables make them an attractive target for disease prevention and reduction in the risk of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Makes you think these foods are attractive items to eat for dinner to lower cholesterol. Soluble fibers, such as pectin and beta-glucan, are in the vegetables , fruit , legumes, barley, and oats, you enjoy often. Soluble fiber intake is associated with lower risks of cardiovascular disease it absorbs water to form a gel that slows stomach emptying, and slows digestion. Insoluble fibers are great at improving bowel movements, helping relieve constipation. Insoluble fiber such as cellulose is present in whole grain foods and bran. These fibers are used by the good microbes, called probiotics, that live in the intestinal tract to create short-chain fatty acids that are absorbed quickly by the body where they go to the liver and get it to decrease cholesterol synthesis. In other words, eating foods that contain insoluble fibers can help reduce how much cholesterol your liver makes.
How Does Cholesterol Work
Cholesterol is a waxy substance that can clog arteries if theres too much of it in the body. Your body makes cholesterol naturally, but when you eat too many foods that also contain cholesterol, these can combine to create an excess of cholesterol in your body. And thats when things can turn bad.
There are two main types of cholesterol: HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, and LDL, or low-density lipoprotein. HDL is known as good cholesterol, since it works to remove LDL , from your arteries. So, foods that are said to help maintain healthy cholesterol can either increase HDL, lower LDL, or both.
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What Is The Cholesterol Diet
The cholesterol diet is an eating plan that increases the cholesterol-lowering foods in your diet and decreases or eliminates high cholesterol foods. Unhealthy eating habits are one of the major contributors to high cholesterol and eating the right foods will help you get your health back on track. The cholesterol diet:
- Eliminates saturated and trans fats that raise LDL cholesterol and lower your HDL cholesterol, such as baked goods, processed meats, French fries, crackers and margarine
- Increases healthy fats such as nuts, avocado, and unsaturated oils like olive and canola
- Limits foods with high cholesterol like shrimp, liver, egg yolks and whole milk dairy products
- Includes plenty of fibre, fruits, vegetables, and fish that are high in omega 3 fatty acids
- Limits salt and alcohol intake
Fruit Smoothie With Almond Milk
Craving something sweet in the afternoon? Toss some frozen berries, sliced banana and almond milk in the blender for a creamy 4 p.m. treat. The healthy fats from the almond milk and antioxidants from the berries can lower LDL cholesterol. A cup of this simple smoothie contains about 162 calories. Here are more healthy smoothie recipes to try.
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Triglycerides In Your Blood
In addition to cholesterol, your blood also contains a type of fat called triglycerides, which are stored in your bodys fat deposits. Hormones release triglycerides to make energy between meals.
When you eat, your body converts any extra energy it doesnt need right away into triglycerides.
Like cholesterol, your body needs triglycerides to work properly. However, there is evidence to suggest that some people with high triglycerides are at increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
If you regularly eat more energy than you need, you may have high triglycerides .
Carry On Carrots Smoothie
Carrots are rich in antioxidants, which may help prevent cardiovascular diseases. Since this cholesterol-fighting smoothie is sprinkled with some other essential elements as well, it can be a must-have for all those who wish to keep their cholesterol at bay. We added in orange and papayas alongside carrots to give it a potential cholesterol-lowering and heart protection combination.
What Youll Need
- ¼ ginger
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
How To Prepare
Start by grating the ginger, cubing the pineapple, and coring the pear. Soak the chia seeds before you make the smoothie. Once done, put all the ingredients in the blender and blitz away. Blend until the liquid is creamy and smooth. Top off with pineapple cubes, if you want a rich by-the-beach drinking experience.
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Whole Grain Toast With Almond Butter And Sliced Strawberries
Upgrade your love for the classic PB& J with a more cholesterol-friendly version. Whole grain toast is high in fiber to lower your total cholesterol level. Eating nuts like almonds has been proven to lower LDL cholesterol. Instead of sugary jam, add fresh strawberries for a satisfying snack with about 218 calories per slice. If you werent sure, this is the difference between whole wheat and whole grain bread.
Heart Healthy Cooking Tips
Stick to heart-healthy fats. Wherever possible, use olive oil instead of butter or margarine. Also, all nuts, , seeds, olives, and avocados are very rich in heart-healthy fats, so eat a few servings each day. Just remember all are high in calories, so mind those portion sizes!
Choose mostly lean proteins like fish, chicken, turkey, tofu, or eggs. And aim to eat at least two servings of fish each week. Theyre low in saturated fats, which helps to reduce LDL cholesterol. Theyre also a good source of omega-3 fats which are great for your blood pressure.
Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. At least 5-7 servings each day. Theyre high in soluble fiber and can lower your cholesterol. And purple fruits and vegetables, like berries or purple sweet potatoes, contain polyphenol antioxidants that protect your blood vessels.
Incorporate a few meatless meals each week that feature legumes and whole grains with vegetables. Theyll help bump up your cholesterol-lowering fiber even more.
Limit sodium by cooking from scratch rather than using packaged foods and go easy on the saltshaker. Cooking from scratch is probably the best thing you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease and so many other chronic lifestyle diseases. Processed, packaged, and fast foods are all full of salt, sugar, unhealthy fats, and chemicals that promote inflammation in your blood vessels and throughout your body.
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Whole Grains Especially Oats And Barley
Extensive research ties whole grains to lower heart disease risk.
In fact, a review of 45 studies linked eating three servings of whole grains daily to a 20% lower risk of heart disease and stroke. Benefits were even greater when people ate more servings up to seven of whole grains per day .
Whole grains keep all parts of the grain intact, which provides them with more vitamins, minerals, plant compounds and fiber than refined grains.
While all whole grains may promote heart health, two grains are particularly noteworthy:
- Oats: Contain beta-glucan, a
Fruit is an excellent addition to a heart-healthy diet for several reasons.
Many types of fruit are rich in soluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol levels .
It does this by encouraging your body to get rid of cholesterol and stopping your liver from producing this compound.
One kind of soluble fiber called pectin lowers cholesterol by up to 10%. Its found in fruits including apples, grapes, citrus fruits and strawberries .
Fruit also contains bioactive compounds that help prevent heart disease and other chronic diseases due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Eating berries and grapes, which are particularly rich sources of these plant compounds, can help increase good HDL and lower bad LDL cholesterol .
SummaryFruit can help lower cholesterol and improve heart health. This is largely caused by its fiber and antioxidants.
Eat To Lower Your Cholesterol
Cholesterol isnt all bad news. Follow these tips to lower your cholesterol, the natural way.
Chances are, youve heard a thing or two about cholesterol. Having high blood cholesterol is a risk factor for developing heart disease.
But did you know that you can reduce your cholesterol level by making smart food choices? Its true!
Cholesterol clarified
Before we get to the details, lets be clear on what were talking about. For years, cholesterol has had a bad rep that it doesnt really deserve. The truth is, we need cholesterol to function. Your body makes most of the cholesterol it needs. The rest comes from foods you eat.
Heres the important thing: Dietary cholesterol found in meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products has less impact on increasing your blood cholesterol level. Foods that contain lots of saturated fat are the true culprits.
Now heres how to make nutritious choices to lower your blood cholesterol.
Keep eating simple
In the last 20 years, the rules on healthy eating have shifted. Super restrictive diets arent sustainable or the healthiest choice. Rather than zeroing in on a single nutrient, nutrition research shows the quality of your diet matters more. A diet filled with the right portions of whole, unprocessed foods can help decrease heart disease and stroke. What does that look like? For a healthy, balanced eating plan:
Cook at home
Choose more fibre
Each of these options will provide you with two grams:
- ½ ripe avocado
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What Is High Cholesterol
High cholesterol is a medical condition that increases your risk for heart disease and stroke by clogging your blood vessels. It can become quite dangerous as there are no symptoms for high cholesterol. It is typically diagnosed during routine blood tests and is very serious.
The body only needs a certain amount of cholesterol. A small amount of cholesterol is necessary because the body uses it to build the structure of cell membranes, make hormones and help your metabolism work properly. If theres too much cholesterol in the bloodstream, the excess may be deposited along the walls of the arteries, including the coronary arteries of the heart, the carotid arteries of the brain, and the arteries that supply blood to the legs and intestines.
Is Salmon A Heart Healthy Dinner
Catch some salmon for dinner its packed with eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid , two omega-3 fatty acids that help lower inflammation in the body. Thats great news for those at risk of heart disease! Researchers have found omega-3 fatty acids cause a drop in what is called inflammatory mediators, little messengers that spark the inflammatory response into a higher gear. This has a specific effect on the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes mellitus type-2. Dish up a little salmon on your dinner plate every now and then.
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Why Drink Smoothies To Lower Cholesterol
Too much bad cholesterol can lead to excessive fatty deposits in the arteries. When the deposits build up, the arteries begin to narrow and eventually become blocked. This means that the body becomes prone to heart disease and stroke.
Moreover, high cholesterol has been linked to a variety of mental impairments, including dementia. Gallstones are painful and can cause major health issues down the road when cholesterol gets too high. Believe it or not, high cholesterol can actually cause pain and numbness in your legs. This happens because the big arteries running down the back of each leg end up clogged up, allowing blood to pool and blood pressure to rise.
Use The Fake Fry Technique
If you love the crispiness of deep-frying, mimic the crunch by using an easy oven-fry technique for low-fat cooking with chicken, pork chops, and other lean meats. To stick with your cholesterol-lowering diet, lightly bread the food and then lightly spray it with olive or canola oil spray before roasting uncovered in the oven. “Your meat will still get crispy because it has a tiny bit of oil on it,” Cipullo says.
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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. Try to eat a wide variety of foods from each of the five food groups. Not only does this help to maintain a healthy and interesting diet, but it provides essential nutrients to the body.
The Heart Foundation recommends:
- Plenty of vegetables, fruits and wholegrains.
- A variety of healthy protein sources , legumes , nuts and seeds. Smaller amounts of eggs and lean poultry can also be included in a heart healthy diet. If choosing red meat, make sure it is lean and limit to 1-3 times a week.
- Unflavoured milk, yoghurt and cheese. Those with high blood cholesterol should choose reduced fat varieties.
- Healthy fat choices nuts, seeds, avocados, olives and their oils for cooking
- Herbs and spices to flavour foods, instead of adding salt.
Also, be mindful on how much you are eating and whether you are filling up on unhealthy foods. Portion sizes have increased over time and many of us are eating more than we need which can lead to obesity and increase our risk of cardiovascular disease.
Ideally, a healthy plate would include servings of ¼ protein, ¼ carbohydrates and ½ vegetables.
Serving size can vary depending on age, gender and specific nutrition needs.