Top 10 Cholesterol Lowering Foods

1. Apples: Apple pectin is a soluble fiber that helps draw
cholesterol out of the system. The flavonoids (Quercetin) in apples
act as a powerful anti-oxidant that seems to short-circuit the process
that leads “bad” LDL cholesterol to accumulate in the bloodstream.
2. Beans: Beans and vegetables are an excellent source of soluble
fiber and high in vegetable protein. By properly combing beans with
brown rice, seeds, corn, wheat you can create a complete protein.
Properly combined beans become an excellent substitute for red meat
protein that is high in saturated fat.
3. Brown Rice: The oil in whole brown rice, not its fiber, lowers
cholesterol. Brown rice can be combined with beans to form an
inexpensive complete protein low in saturated fat. In addition, this
whole grain also supplies good doses of heart-healthy fiber, magnesium
and B vitamins.
4. Cinnamon: A study published in the journal Diabetes Care found that
half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day significantly reduces blood sugar
levels in people with type 2 diabetes. It also reduces triglyceride,
LDL, the bad cholesterol and the total cholesterol level.
5. Garlic: Garlic contains the chemical allicin, which has been shown
to kill bacteria and fungi, and alleviate certain digestive disorders.
It also lowers the blood clotting properties of blood. But the most
notable attention garlic has received over recent years is its
possible usefulness in lowering cholesterol levels.
6. Grapes: Flavonoids in grapes protect LDL cholesterol from free
radical damage and reduce platelet clumping. The LDL lowering effect
of grapes comes from a compound that grapes produce normally to resist
mold. The darker the grape, the better.
7. Oats: Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your
low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the “bad” cholesterol. Five to 10 grams
of soluble fiber a day decreases LDL cholesterol by about 5 percent.
Eating 1.5 cups of cooked oatmeal provides 4.5 grams of fiber — enough
to lower your cholesterol.
8. Salmon: The major health components in salmon include: Omega 3
fatty-acid and protein. These components have a favorable
cardiovascular effect. The American Heart Association recommends that
people include at least two servings of fish/week, particularly fatty
fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, anchovies and herring), in
their diets.
9. Soy: The top health promoting components in soybeans are
isoflavones and soluble fiber. Isoflavones act like human hormone that
can lower LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol. All soy products
(soybeans, soy nuts, tofu, tempeh, soy milk, etc.) are complete
proteins.
10. Walnuts: Walnuts can significantly reduce blood cholesterol
because they are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Walnuts also
help keep blood vessels healthy and elastic. Almonds appear to have a
similar effect, resulting in a marked improvement within just four
weeks. A cholesterol-lowering diet with a little less than 1/3 of a
cup of walnuts/day may reduce LDL cholesterol by 12 percent.