6. Beans
The fiber in beans slows the rate and amount of absorption of cholesterol in certain foods. Add a half a cup of beans to soup and watch those LDL levels lower by almost 10%. The wonderful thing about beans is that you can always find at least one that you might like (pinto, kidney, or black to name a few).
7. Olive Oil
This favorite marinade and topping on chicken, fish, vegetables and of course salads lowers LDL levels. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids that aid in the decrease of LDL in the body. Next time you’re about to grab vegetable oil off the shelf, switch it out for its healthy cousin, olive oil.
8. Spinach
You might’ve heard about the amazing lutein, the yellow pigment found in leafy green vegetables and eggs. This pigment is responsible for keeping your eyes healthy as you get older, and also for lowering your cholesterol. Lutein blocks all the cholesterol haters trying to attack your precious arteries.
9. Avocado
Happy hours are looking up. First you have red wine coming in blocking all of that bad cholesterol and now you can have your chips and dip it, too. Avocado contains a plant-based fat called beta-sitosterol that reduces the amount of cholesterol absorbed in your food. Don’t go too hard because avocados are high in calories.
10. Chocolate
Ladies, don’t go crazy, but chocolate is on the list. This delectable item contains an antioxidant that helps to build the good kind of cholesterol in your body. Dark, bittersweet chocolate has 3 times the antioxidants as milk chocolate. The antioxidants inside of dark chocolate keep your arteries from clogging and also your blood platelets from sticking together. Godiva, anyone ?
10 Foods That Naturally Lower Cholesterol was originally published on blackdoctor.org
