Sooner or later, almost all people face the problem of high cholesterol. Usually doctors recommend after the age of 20 to check blood at least once a year. If you have faced such a problem, in order to lower cholesterol and keep it under control, you need to change your lifestyle a little and pay attention to the diet by introducing some products on it on a regular basis. What can increase the level of cholesterol in the blood and how to avoid this problem by changing the daily diet and what foods you need to start eating regularly? Let’s try to answer all these questions together.
The level of cholesterol is influenced by lifestyle, habits and hereditary factors. Excess weight, addiction to alcohol, frequent consumption of foods high in animal fat, smoking contribute to high cholesterol. It is also influenced by a lack in the diet of sources of monounsaturated fats, pectins, fiber and vitamins. Fortunately, the right food and choice of foods will help maintain health, including normal cholesterol. There are at least 5 superfoods that will help you in the fight against cholesterol.
Contents
- Product number 1: Water
- Product number 2: Green tea
- Product number 3: Citrus fruit
- Product number 4: Red and dark berries
- Product number 5: Cereals and fiber-rich foods
- 6 Foods You Should Exclude from Ration If Have the High Cholesterol
- Video
Product number 1: Water
It is known that high cholesterol levels often contribute to the development of obesity, and it in turn leads to a violation of lipid metabolism.
- Water is the most affordable and at the same time an effective means of reducing cholesterol and the normalizer of excess weight.
- It helps to accelerate metabolism and helps burn fat, its restriction leads to an increase in fat stores in the body. The fact is, if there is insufficient intake of water, the functions of the excretory system are violated, as a result of which some of the toxic substances are released into the blood. This causes poisoning of the body, in response to which a protective reaction is triggered in the form of accumulation of fat stores.
Using 2.5-3 liters of water a day helps the body to cleanse itself of toxins and get rid of excess fat. Lack of water the body perceives as a threat to life and begins to intensively save the liquid. As a result, swelling arises, urine retention occurs, a person feels weak. The use of diuretics gives an effect only in the period of their use.
But the long-term use of such drugs is unacceptable, since they wash out a large part of the nutrients from the body. Therefore, as in other cases, it is necessary to treat the cause, not the consequence. Violations of water metabolism often occur with excessive salt intake. Remember the important rule: the more salt gets into the body, the more water it needs to dissolve. A person who is obese especially needs this because the metabolic processes in his body take place with an additional load.
Advice: Before drinking, the water needs to be slightly cooled, then it is easier to drink and helps burn more fat.
Product number 2: Green tea
Green tea is appreciated all over the world not only for its excellent taste and aroma, but also its many useful properties. This product is received as a result of continuous mixing of its leaves under the influence of high temperature. This method does not allow activation of its oxidative enzymes and at the same time retains useful properties. Thanks to this special technology, green tea is considered to be a useful drink.
When we pour green tea with boiling water, the water is saturated with antioxidants. So, as a result of the research, 6 catechins were found in the leaves of this plant. The main one is epigallocatechin gallate, a substance that has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. The extract of green tea containing this substance reduces the level of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood. An excellent proof of this is the fact that in China there is a significantly lower incidence of cardiovascular diseases than in other countries. And this is not surprising, since the Chinese drink an average of 8-10 cups of green tea a day.
Furthermore, epigallocatechin gallate is also an antioxidant, neutralizing free radicals which accelerate the aging process and cause cancer. Their accumulation in the body is a result of factors such as air pollution, ultraviolet radiation, preservatives, smoking, alcohol and so on. D.
Recommendations for drinking green tea:
- To successfully reduce weight and cholesterol level, it is recommended to drink an average of 500-800 ml of green tea per day.
- This drink has a diuretic effect, so it is recommended to drink it with excess weight and fluid retention. It contains more than 300 different substances necessary for the normal functioning of the body. They include protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals (magnesium, iron, manganese, sodium, phosphorus, silicon, etc.).
The motherland of green tea is the East, where great attention is paid to traditions. One of them is a tea ceremony. If you want to plunge into an atmosphere of tranquility and serenity, try to reproduce it at home. This is a great way of relaxation, which contributes to the process of restoring the disturbed functions of the body.
In the cultural traditions of China it is customary to brew green tea in vases of violet clay, the deposits of which are found only in the Chinese province. This clay easily passes air, enriching tea with oxygen and allowing thereby to completely reveal its delicate taste and aroma. Masters of tea ceremonies pour teapots from the outside to make clay absorb the color and smell of tea. In this regard, the teapot, which was used for a long time, is valued more than new, and the tea boiled in it has a more refined taste.
Rinse the kettle with boiling water before brewing. The water must be filtered and heated to 80-85 ° C. The saturation of the taste of green tea depends on the amount of tea leaves. Optimal is 3 g per 200 ml of water. Pour water in a circular motion so that it evenly heats the walls of the kettle. Pour it on 1/3 and leave for 2-3 minutes, then top up and insist another 5 minutes.
Advice: Green tea can be brewed repeatedly. For this, water can be used at a temperature of 90-95 ° C.
Product number 3: Citrus fruit
They are rich in pectin, soluble fiber, which forms a viscous mass in the stomach and removes cholesterol from it, even before it enters the blood and clogs the blood vessels. Especially effective is the following recipe of the citrus dessert you can prepare at home taking such ingredients as:
- 1 grapefruit
- 1 orange
- 2 lemons
- 600 g of sugar
- 5 cups of water
Wash the fruit, squeeze out the juice from the pulp. Remove the white fibers from the peel, cut the peel into thin strips. Put the peel, pour the juice and water into the heat-resistant dishes. There also put grains and white fibers wrapped in gauze. Cook for 15-20 minutes. Extract gauze, put sugar, cook until marmalade boils and become viscous. Cool it down.
In order for cholesterol to be normal, take as a rule to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, 2 of them should be citrus. For example, at the second breakfast you eat an apple, and for an afternoon snack – an orange. According to scientists, grapefruit helps lower cholesterol, has antibacterial and antifungal action, burns fat and speeds up the exchange of sugar-containing substances. In addition, this fruit improves digestion.
It contains:
- organic acids,
- pectins,
- fiber and plant proteases, accelerating the progress of food and helping the natural cleansing of the body.
Grapefruit successfully fights insomnia and has a sedative effect. It contains 88.5-90.9% of water, 3.8-6.7% of sugars, 1.42-2.38% of acids, vitamins C, D, P and Group B, essential oil, pectic and coloring substances , mineral salts, as well as glycoside naringin – a substance to which grapefruit owes its bitter taste. The flesh of the fetus is 30-35% of its total mass, it contains 9.19-19.4% pectin substances, essential oil and glycosides.
Grapefruit is recommended for use in high blood sugar in the prevention of diabetes mellitus. San Diego nutritionists conducted a study in which several dozens of overweight people took part. In one group, with each meal, subjects consumed half the fruit of the grapefruit. As a result, for 4 months each of them lost not less than 1.5 kg. In addition, in the course of the experiment, it was found that their glucose concentration and insulin level in the blood plasma decreased.
Not everyone knows that as well as citrus, carrot contains a lot of pectin. Therefore, carrots help to remove harmful cholesterol from the body. It is enough to eat two carrots to reduce the cholesterol by 10% (if you have it quite high).
Advice: If you often feel tired or you are depressed, grapefruit should become a must in your diet. According to scientists, its aroma lifts the mood and improves memory. A freshly squeezed juice of this fruit is indispensable for increased physical and mental stress, during illness and recovery.
Product number 4: Red and dark berries
Corrections of the general level of lipoproteins can be achieved by increasing the production of a high-molecular compound.
Polyphenols – substances that stimulate the production of high-density lipoprotein – are found in red and purple fruits:
- bilberries,
- cowberries,
- pomegranate,
- dark grapes,
- cranberries,
- strawberries,
- chokeberry,
- raspberries.
Note: 150 g of fruit or fruit puree per day for 60 days contribute to an increase in the amount of “good” cholesterol by an average of 5%, and cranberries with the same volume – by 10%. Juices and mashed potatoes can be consumed not only in pure form, but also prepare berry mixtures, combine with desserts (low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt), make mixed nectars and fruit drinks. In grape berries the most useful is dense peel and sunflower seeds, they can also be consumed inside. In this case, the benefits of grape wine in reducing cholesterol are exaggerated: the value of the active substances during the processing of juice into an alcoholic drink is reduced, and the number of possible side effects is increasing.
Raspberry is low in calories (41 kcal per 100 g), contains 5-11% of sugars, among which glucose and fructose prevail. The latter does not exert an intensive load on the insular apparatus, so raspberries are recommended for patients with diabetes mellitus, as well as for elevated blood sugar levels. Raspberries are rich in vitamin C, which helps reduce cholesterol. The aroma and sweet and sour taste of raspberry stimulates the secretion of gastric juice, improves digestion and assimilation of food. Containing organic acids it destroys pathogenic bacteria found in the gastrointestinal tract, so regular use of raspberries minimizes the risk of intestinal infections. Getting into the body, these acids are included in the metabolism.
Advice: Include raspberries in your ration often in summer. It may be used for cooking fruit salads and cocktails.
Product number 5: Cereals and fiber-rich foods
Studies prove that if you start every day with oatmeal, then within a month the level of lipoproteins will decrease by 5%. The same effect is observed when including a large number of other cereals:
- whole grain bread,
- legumes (in particular lentils and soybeans),
- flax seeds and oat bran in the menu.
Fiber-rich foods help regulate cholesterol: two months of daily intake of 100 grams of bran on average help reduce the overall level of lipoproteins by 14%, and help to reduce body weight and improve digestion.
Bran can be mixed with cereals, add to kefir, yogurt, and also replace regular bread and biscuits with various variations with oat bran. One of the most common and fiber-rich foods available to all segments of the population is white cabbage.
Advice: For therapeutic purposes, it is recommended to include in the menu from 100 g of fresh cabbage, stewed, boiled or sauerkraut per day.
6 Foods You Should Exclude from Ration If Have the High Cholesterol
meat and poultry of fatty varieties;- sauces with a high fat content (including mayonnaise and salad dressings based on it);
- strong meat, fish broths and soups;
- baking, sweets, confectionery, chocolate;
- by-products of any type;
meat and poultry of fatty varieties;
