Diet
Foods that Help Reduce Cholesterol Levels
There are two kinds of cholesterol – good and bad. LDL is the bad cholesterol, while HDL is the good cholesterol. What we eat can directly affect our cholesterol levels, which is why it is so important to avoid foods that are high in cholesterol. There are foods that help reduce cholesterol, so they should be consumed regularly in decent quantities. Two strategies can be followed to reduce cholesterol levels: Adding food that lower LDL or low-density lipoproteins Cutting back on foods that boost LDL levels Reducing bad foods Harmful LDL is found in saturated fats and trans fats. Saturated fats are found in animal products like red meat, eggs, whole-fat dairy products and some vegetable oils like coconut oil, palm oil, and cocoa butter. Saturated fat can increase the LDL cholesterol levels. Trans fats should be completely avoided as the body does not need them at all. A lot of food containing trans fats have been banned in the country. Trans fats are a byproduct of the chemical reaction that converts liquid vegetable oil into solid margarine or shortening. This helps prevent liquid vegetable oils from turning rancid and getting spoilt. These fats have no nutritional value and have been scientifically proven to be bad for heart health.