3 Foods To Lower LDL Cholesterol

High cholesterol is one of the biggest preventable killers around the world. It leads to build up in the arteries and restricted blood flow which can cause heart disease and heart attacks. LDL is considered “bad” cholesterol Too much of it is lethal. On the other hand the “good” cholesterol called HDL can put you at risk for heart disease if you do not have enouhg of it. Here are three foods that will lower your LDL cholesterol levels:

1.Flax. Flax has been shown to provide the body with a number of benefits, one of them being lowering LDL cholesterol levels. It also contains omega 3s which promote heart health. Flax seeds can be used in cereal or salads but some people have a hard time digesting the seeds. Ground flax is readily available at most supermarkets and can be sprinkled into your cereal or into smoothies.

2.Nuts. Among all nuts, pistachios, walnuts and almonds have been shown to be the most effective in combating high cholesterol levels. Eating a handful after a fatty meal has been shown to protect your heart and also reverse any damage done to the arteries by saturated fats.

3.Cranberry or grape juice. Both fruits are extremely high in antioxidants but also work to slow down LDL cholesterol oxidation while at the same time increasing the levels of good (HDL) cholesterol levels.

Eating heart healthy, cholesterol lowering foods is important to keep your cholesterol in check but what is more important is exercise. A half an hour to an hour of cardiovascular workouts three to five times a week is the single most effective way of keeping your cholesterol levels where they should be.