Patients concerned about high cholesterol levels would do well to adhere to a diet for lowering cholesterol.
To begin, there are certain foods which should be removed from the diet, since they are a root cause of elevated bad cholesterol levels. Start by eliminating hydrogenated oils – they also go under the guise of “partially hydrogenated vegetable oils”. They are found in a multitude of products. Margarine is a number-one-food-to-avoid on a diet for lowering cholesterol. Your doctor may not tell you this, but margarine is a highly processed, toxic “food product” that comes rather close to resembling plastic. Risky hydrogenated oils are also found in most baked goods, in soups, sauces and dressings for salad. Reading labels is of paramount importance.
Why are hydrogenated oils so risky? The answer is that they disrupt normal metabolic function, an unwanted side effect also caused by white flour, monosodium glutamate, nitrites and artificial sweeteners (all of which are found in junk food, too).
Avoid processed soybean oil. Why? To begin with, most soy (unless certified organic) is genetically modified; this alone makes it undesirable. It may also have undergone a heavy processing, and be disruptive to your heart and other bodily functions.
Processed foods are not worth the risk. They are cheap, and colorful, but that’s where the fun stops. Most are laden with sugar, white flour, GMO oils, artificial flavors, heavily processed, rancid fats — all of which are terrible for heart, and overall, health, contributing to elevated LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels.
What about healthy fats? Many “experts” suggest meal plans which are nothing more than low fat diets; surprisingly, low fat has no place in a diet for lowering cholesterol. Fat is a critical nutrient for human health. We’ve long been told to avoid foods high in saturated fat. Now, medical education and research shows that not all saturated fat is bad. Take coconut oil, for example. It is pure saturated fat – it is, however, cholesterol-free, and its unique composition of medium-chain triglycerides can actually improve heart health, in addition to providing energy and destroying microbes.
Omega-3 oils (essential fatty acids) play a vital role in a diet for lowering cholesterol. Why? They exhibit potent anti-inflammatory properties, which aid the heart. Look for pharaceutically pure, distilled fish oil, algae-based oils, and oil from golden flax. Olive oil is also a delicious, natural way to lower cholesterol. For best results, use up to two tablespoons per day. Some studies suggest that peanut oil is beneficial for the heart – just ensure it is pure, organic and unhydrogenated. Seek peanut butter which has the oil separated from the peanut butter; this means it is natural and hasn’t been processed.
Fiber-rich foods such as whole grains (soak them prior to cooking for maximum digestibility) interfere with the absorption of fats that cause bad cholesterol elevation.
What about red meat? It has been demonized by mainstream and alternative practitioners – but such criticism may be unwarranted. If one consumes a great deal of commercial, supermarket beef – which has been raised on grains that cows are not designed to eat, resulting in heavy antibiotic use, and the meat is cooked at high temperatures, then, yes, it will probably have a negative impact on cholesterol levels. However, if one chooses organic and pastured (100 percent grass-fed) beef, the tables have turned. Not only is it lower in fat, but the fat it does contain is rich in nutrients; when cows eat the diet they are intended to (grass), the ratio of Omega-3 essential fatty acids reverses from high Omega-6 and low Omega-3, to high Omega-3 and low Omega-6, which in turn promotes a healthy, heart-positive, beneficial anti-inflammatory response. Grass fed beef is an excellent source of protein.
Stay tuned for more tips about how to achieve a delicious diet for lowering cholesterol that doesn’t leave you feeling deprived!
