Healthy Recipes Cholesterol-Lowering Foods and Fruits

If you want to lower cholesterol through dietary adjustments, the core is to give priority to supplementing three types of nutrients: soluble dietary fiber, plant sterols, and Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, while controlling the intake of saturated fat and trans fat. The most cost-effective daily optional foods include pure oats, deep-sea fish, and dark green foods. Leafy vegetables, soy products, fruits with peels, apples, citrus, and seasonal berries are preferred. There is no need to pursue expensive imported ingredients or health products. Most people can see a significant decrease in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, often referred to as "bad cholesterol") by adhering to a healthy diet for three months.

Many friends I have come into contact with who have dyslipidemia went to extremes at the beginning. They either turned green after eating boiled vegetables, or they just lay down and took medicine. In fact, it was completely unnecessary. Last year, my sister's physical examination revealed that her LDL-C had reached 3.8mmol/L, which was just above the critical level. The doctor asked her to adjust her diet for three months before reexamining. I changed her daily eating habits and did not let her take any health products. After three months, the reexamination dropped to 3.1mmol/L, and I didn't feel aggrieved throughout the process.

Many people think that lowering cholesterol requires a complete vegetarian diet. In fact, this is not the case. Nowadays, most doctors, whether in clinical nutrition or cardiovascular departments, recommend eating deep-sea fish, such as mackerel, salmon, and sardines, 2-3 times a week. A large piece of palm is enough each time, and steaming is best. Of course, there are also supporters of a vegan diet who feel that animal-derived ingredients are not conducive to blood lipid control. This is no problem. As long as enough flax seeds and chia seeds can be used to supplement alpha-linolenic acid, similar effects can be achieved. There is no need to force people who don’t like fish to eat them. My aunt originally disliked the fishy taste of the sea, but later I asked her to add more ginger slices, a little cooking wine, and chopped green onion when steaming it. Now she takes the initiative to eat it once a week.

When buying rice, you don’t have to buy whole brown rice. Many fitness bloggers have said that to reduce cholesterol, you should eat 100% whole grains. In fact, for middle-aged and elderly people with poor gastrointestinal problems, it is easy to cause acid reflux and indigestion. In fact, you only need to replace one-third of the usual polished rice and white flour with whole grains. For example, when steaming rice, grab a handful of oats, quinoa or chickpeas. The taste is not much different and the acceptance is much higher. For oatmeal, choose pure oatmeal without added sucrose or flavors. Make a bowl in the morning and add a spoonful of sugar-free soy milk powder. It is more filling than plain porridge and can supplement soluble dietary fiber and hinder the intestinal absorption of cholesterol.

There is no need to go out of your way to buy expensive organic vegetables. When buying vegetables, just grab a few handfuls of dark green leafy vegetables and mushrooms. Common vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, broccoli, shiitake mushrooms, and fungus are all high in phytosterols, which can compete with cholesterol in the body and reduce absorption. I met a patient before who said that he still had high blood fat even though he ate vegetables every day. After careful questioning, I found out that he ate potatoes and roasted meat every day and ate potatoes as vegetables. In fact, potatoes had high starch content and absorbed a lot of oil. It was equivalent to eating half a bowl of rice and taking in more fat. Of course it was useless.

When it comes to fruits, there is no need to chase expensive ones. Imported blueberries and avocados may not be as effective as apples that cost two yuan a pound in the supermarket downstairs. The pectin content of apples when eaten with the skin is particularly high. If you are afraid of the cold in winter, you can also steam them. They are sour and sweet and will not irritate the stomach. I often do this for the elderly at home in winter. You can also eat strawberries, tomatoes, oranges, and grapefruits that are in season. Just eat a fist-sized amount every day. I also have to remind you not to eat high-sugar fruits in order to lower cholesterol. I once had a friend who ate two kilograms of grapes every day. As a result, his cholesterol did not drop, but his triglycerides rose instead. This is because too much fructose in fruits is converted into lipids. High-sugar fruits like lychees, longans, and durians can be eaten occasionally to satisfy their cravings. Don't eat them every day.

Soy products are also a good thing, such as old tofu, dried tofu, and sugar-free soy milk. A palm-sized piece of old tofu is enough every day. Just don’t buy the kind of deep-fried tofu puffs. Many people are also worried that the phytoestrogens in soybeans will affect endocrine. Clinical studies at home and abroad have confirmed that daily intake of about 25g of soy protein, which is about the amount of two palm-sized pieces of old tofu, will not affect hormone levels, but can also reduce bad cholesterol by about 5%. For ordinary people, the benefits completely outweigh the risks, so there is no need to panic.

Finally, let’s talk about a pitfall that many people step on: don’t believe those snacks that say “zero cholesterol” on the package, such as crisp biscuits, instant milk tea, and creamer balls. The trans fat in them is the culprit of raising bad cholesterol, which is more terrible than eating two bites of fatty meat. My aunt used to like to stock up on shortbread cookies that cost a few yuan a pound and ate two of them every day. After she stopped eating, her blood fat dropped faster than anything else. If you are really greedy, just eat a small handful of original almonds and walnuts every day. Don’t buy the salt-baked ones. Take about 10 at a time. Don’t eat too much. After all, the fat content is not low.

To put it bluntly, a cholesterol-lowering diet is not a "sick meal" at all. It is just a return to natural food. It is less processed and less heavy. It is comfortable to eat and can lower the index. Why not? If you really have adjusted your target for half a year and still don't meet the target, it's not too late to go see a doctor to evaluate whether you need to take medicine. Don't waste your money by buying a bunch of health care products.