Diet to Reduce Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fatty substance which is found in the blood. It is mainly made in the body. It plays a necessary role in the functioning of every cell in the body. However, too much cholesterol in the blood can increase your risk of heart problems. There are various things you can do to control your cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is carried around the body by proteins. These combinations of cholesterol and proteins are called lipoproteins. There are two main types of lipoproteins:

- LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is the harmful type of cholesterol.
- HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is a protective type of cholesterol.

Having excessive harmful cholesterol in your blood can augment your risk of getting cardiovascular diseases. The risk is particularly high if you have a high level of LDL cholesterol and a low level of HDL cholesterol. The cholesterol which is found in some foods such as eggs, liver, kidneys and some types of seafood like prawns, does not usually make a great contribution to the level of cholesterol in your blood. It is much more important that you eat foods that are low in saturated fat. However, some people have high blood cholesterol even though they eat a hale and hearty diet. For example, they may have inherited a condition called familial hyperlipidaemia (FH) which is usually genetic.

High cholesterol is probably one of the most modifiable risk factors when it comes to heart disease. The good news is that by making a few simple adjustments to your diet, you can help to lower your cholesterol. There are many ways to you can do this from following a cholesterol-lowering meal plan to adding in diet a few foods that aid in lowering cholesterol. There are a lot of ways to help make your diet lipid-friendly. A low cholesterol diet is not hard to follow, given the variety of foods available. Many food manufacturers also have low fat, low cholesterol foods available for people who do not have the time to fix elaborate meals. When you are shopping for such foods, be sure to look at the labels to follow the ingredients.

The following diet can help you in controlling your high cholesterol:
Fruits and Vegetables

Always consume loads of fruits and vegetables as they are low in calories and fat. Furthermore, these delicious groceries won’t raise your cholesterol levels.
Fats and Oils

Try to reduce your intake of saturated fats, since consuming foods with these fats could raise your cholesterol levels and place you at a higher threat of get hold of heart diseases. You should avoid any foods that state they contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, such as those used in many margarines and shortenings, contain a particular form of saturated fat known as Trans fats. These can raise blood cholesterol levels (including LDL, the bad cholesterol), just like saturated fat, and can also promote the formation of waxy, cholesterol plaques on your arteries. When cooking with oils, you should use olive and canola oils, which are particularly high in monounsaturated fats or vegetable oil, which is high in polyunsaturated fats. Unlike saturated and Trans fats, unsaturated fats can help lower your cholesterol and keep your heart healthy.
Breads and Grains

Use whole grain foods instead of foods containing white flour. Recent studies have indicated that ingesting high amounts of carbohydrates can also raise cholesterol levels and increase your risk of heart disease - especially if you have diabetes.
Dairy

Use low fat or skim dairy products instead of regular, full-fat ones. You'll find that not only does this diminish your risk for heart disease, but it is also responsive to your waistline as well.
Meats

Cook with lean meats, such as chicken, fish or turkey, instead of red meat. Leaner meats will not raise your cholesterol levels as much as red meat. For example, using ground turkey meat instead of ground beef is a delicious substitute. On fattier cuts of meat, make sure that you trim the fat off properly before consuming it.

List of edibles that help reducing your cholesterol:

   1. Whole grains and oats
   2. Blueberries
   3. Pistachios
   4. Walnuts
   5. Almonds
   6. Avocados
   7. Olives
   8. Flaxseed Oil
   9. Olive Oil
  10. Cranberry juice
  11. Fish and Fish Oil
  12. Black Soy-beans
  13. Pomegranate juice
  14. Vara churna – a herbal blend containing fibrous pulp of fruits of emblica officinalis, terminalia chebula and terminalia bellerica. It is also cleansing

 So go ahead with your cautious diet plan and control your cholesterol so that you just not avoid cardiovascular diseases, but also shape up your body.