Cholesterol

Buildup of cholesterol really depends on what we eat. Naturally, our liver is the one that has been tasked to produce cholesterol in our body. Correct amounts of cholesterol are needed to create hormones, vitamin D, formulate bile acid, and help form cell membranes. The foods we eat that contain cholesterol are the ones that set the imbalance in our system. If the level of bad cholesterol (LDL) is high, then plaque gets to form around the arteries and organs around the body. This constricts the pathways of blood, and in the event of a sudden surge of pumping from the heart a stroke may happen. Less blood, on the other hand, will cause spells of dizziness and a little disability to certain parts of the body; for it is the circulation of blood and nutrients around the body that allows mobility of our organs and other body parts.

Knowing this, our quest is to lower bad cholesterol levels in the body and increase good cholesterol. We can get low cholesterol content meals from barley, oats, fruits, soy protein, and vegetables. Fresh orange is best known for its vitamin C contribution. This also contains a lot of anti-oxidants, which take away toxins from the body, as well as a good amount of niacin, which is a well documented vitamin that lowers the levels of LDL cholesterol and increases the HDL cholesterol in the body. You can also get these benefits from its family of citrus fruits as well as others such as grapefruit, cranberry, and grapes.

Aside from the food that you have to watch, try checking the medium you use to cook it with. Cooking oil can be a culprit of large amounts of cholesterol due to the presence of saturated fat. Stay away from vegetable oil as this has high levels of saturated fat. Olive oil and canola oil would be your best choices for cooking your food with. People from Italy and Spain, which use a lot of olive oil, have been known to have the least amount of cases of heart disease.

Seafood is also a good source for lowering bad cholesterol. Fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, halibut, and sardines are just some of the fish that contain a lot of omega 3. This is an essential nutrient needed by our bodies, but we cannot produce it ourselves that is why we have to obtain it from food sources.

These are just some examples of foods that are beneficial for lowering LDL cholesterol levels in our body. Together with a good amount of exercise, it will keep our bodies fit and less susceptible to heart diseases.