Diet to Lower Cholesterol

Nutrients that Fight Cholesterol Levels

A diet to lower cholesterol is important for anyone who has elevated levels of the LDL (the "bad" type). Excess LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream creates dangerous plaque that increases the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Medical professionals recommend that people with high cholesterol levels eat a diet to lower it. In addition, medications or nutritional remedies can complement this type of diet really well.

The best diet to lower cholesterol replaces saturated fats (usually from animal products) with polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats (usually from vegetable oils, nuts and seeds). Foods that are high in cholesterol should be avoided as well. The consumption of high fat meats, whole milk, butter and cheese should be kept to a minimum.

The best food choices for people on a diet to lower cholesterol are vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and beans. These high fiber foods not only do not raise cholesterol levels, but they can also help the body eliminate it.

Even the best diet to lower cholesterol may not be enough to bring blood cholesterol down to acceptable levels. In most cases the problem must be addressed in more than one way, such as:

reducing the production of cholesterol in the liver

helping to increase the absorption of cholesterol

dissolving cholesterol and blood fats that are circulating in the body

While prescription medications are widely used in conjunction with a diet to lower cholesterol, these drugs can damage the liver over time. For this reason, many people prefer to use nutritional supplements in conjunction with a diet to lower cholesterol.

Fight Bad Cholesterol with these Nutrients

A number of nutrients have been shown to help fight bad cholesterol levels. For example, policosanol, a substance derived from natural cane sugar, inhibits the production of cholesterol in the liver and helps to breakdown "bad" cholesterol in the blood.

Also, substances in plants known as phytosterols are similar in structure to cholesterol, but phytosterols actually prevent the absorption of cholesterol in the gastrointestinal tract. Specifically, the phytosterol known as beta-sistosterol, has been shown to reduce levels of cholesterol in the blood.

Another natural substance, guggulipid, a gum extract from a tree known as the Commiphora mukul tree, contains a substance that prevents the formation of cholesterol in the liver.

Green tea is often included in a diet to bring the cholesterol down because it contains compounds known as theaflavins, which can lower cholesterol levels.

Also effective as part of a diet to lower cholesterol is rice bran oil, which has a high concentration of desirable fatty acids – the kind that can increase "good" cholesterol levels.

Another compund, d-limonene, which is found in the oil of orange peels, has been shown to dissolve cholesterol gallstones.

Natural Cholesterol Formula

If you are interested in a natural product that contains a number of cholesterol lowering substances, try Cholest-Natural by Xtend-Life.

Like all Xtend-Life products, the softgels in Cholest-Natural contain clinically tested substances made from only the purest ingredients. Cholest-Natural provides a concentrated source of nutrients that can complement a diet to lower cholesterol and help ensure optimal results in just a few months.

more than diet to lower cholesterol on our heart health page

Legal Disclaimer: The nutritional and health information contained in this web site is for educational purposes only and its not meant to replace medical advice, diagnose or treat any disease. Nutritional benefits may differ from one person to another, because each person is different. Medical doctors and healthcare professionals can provide disagreeing opinions on health issues consequently, each person in the end is responsible for directing their own health care.