9 foods to help reduce Cholesterol

Here are some suggestions or tips for lowering cholesterol.

Fiber rich breakfast

Eat a fiber rich breakfast such as oatmeal, whole grain muffins and fruits. Read the label of cereals and choose those which have 5 grams or more of fiber per serving. Oat bran and rice bran are the most effective.

Whole grains

Switch to whole grains. Choose whole grain breads, pastas, crackers and brown rice instead of white.

Beans

Eat beans at least three times a week. Try bean soup. Cold bean salad, hummus sandwiches, black bean dip, toasted soy beans as snacks.

Soy protein

Soy protein is especially effective, so be sure to include plenty. Even soymilk, tofu and textured soy protein are good.

Fruits and vegetables

Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. One at breakfast, one veggie (tomato, carrots) and one fruit (orange, apple etc) at lunch, and one salad and one cooked vegetable at dinner, that makes an easy five.

Eat whole fruits

Choose whole fruits, skin included, instead of juice. Juice is the fruit with all the fiber removed.

Eat garlic

Eat garlic. Cooked or raw garlic both contain compounds that help lower your liver’s production of cholesterol.

Other foods

Other good foods include raw onion, salmon, olive oil, almonds and walnuts. Salmon, olive oil, walnuts and almonds are all high in fat but most of it is monounsaturated fat which helps to improve cholesterol.

Vitamin C and E

Eat plenty of foods that contain the natural antioxidants, vitamin C(strawberries, oranges, papaya, broccoli, cantaloupe etc) and vitamin E(sunflower seeds, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, soybeans etc)