Diet Plan for Lowering Cholesterol

High cholesterol level in the body is one of the major problems that are faced by most people today. The awareness of various types of cholesterol and their advantages and disadvantages are still obscure and it is important that every person must know every other thing about cholesterol and its effects. To those who are not well versed with the types of cholesterol, there are two types of it – the HDL cholesterol or the high density lipo protein and the LDL cholesterol or the low density lipo proteins. The former one is called the good cholesterol and the latter is bad cholesterol.

The HDL cholesterol is responsible for the health of the cell walls and if required for the proper functioning of the body. The LDL cholesterol is the one that causes harm to the body and it is necessary that the levels of the LDL cholesterol are maintained within limits. When the levels of bad cholesterol increase in the body, serious complications are likely to occur and some of them are heart diseases, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, etc.

These excessive levels of LDL cholesterol cause occlusion in the arteries, thereby causing heart attack which may at times prove to be fatal. It is therefore better to act before it is too late. One of the best methods to trim down the levels of cholesterol is the right diet. Here is a diet plan that can help in reducing the LDL cholesterol levels and the risks related to it.

  • The first thing you need to concentrate upon is the amount of saturated fat that you intake. Lessen the fatty things in your diet as they are the main sources of cholesterol. The sources of saturated fats are animal fats and they are better avoided. Switch over to lean and skinned poultry products that are healthier and less fatty. These are the items that are important for a high protein diet plan.
  • Have cooked oatmeal everyday. Oatmeal being rich sources of soluble fiber is immensely useful in reducing cholesterol. The fiber, in fact absorbs the excessive cholesterol consequently reducing LDL cholesterol.
  • Fish, is another one of the best cholesterol lowering foods that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids. In addition to bringing the LDL cholesterol levels this omega 3 fatty acids play a vital role in dealing with high blood pressure and blood clots. Fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, etc are rich in omega 3 fatty acids.
  • Nuts are other rich sources of nutrients that have the capacity of reducing the cholesterol levels. You can substitute the junk food with the nuts so that there is a reduced intake of fat. The risks of heart diseases are also reduced by consuming nuts like walnuts, pecans and almonds.