Unbelievable Cholesterol Fighting Foods

One of the most common misconceptions about fighting cholesterol through diet is that we will be eating a bland diet of unexciting foods. Actually, there are some unbelievable cholesterol fighting foods that taste great and actually do help to lower levels of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream. If you are looking for cholesterol fighting foods to eat that are tasty and readily available, try some of the following.

Salmon

Let’s start with the one which is least interesting and one which some people just don’t have a ‘taste’ for. Salmon, among other cholesterol fighting fish (cold water fish) helps to lower the bad stuff (LDL), raise the good stuff (HDL) and reduce levels of triglycerides as well. Keep in mind that it should be baked or broiled and not fried.

Avocados

While there are a number of people who have an allergy to avocados, if you are able to eat them, this is a remarkable plant that contains a substance called beta-sitosterol which is a vegetable fat that reduces the amount of cholesterol the body can absorb from other foods.

Nuts

Although we know that nuts are high in fats (take peanut butter for example), nuts high in monounsaturated fats are actually good for you. They help raise levels of HDL and lower levels of LDL.

Garlic

Garlic isn’t actually what we would consider a food since you wouldn’t normally sit down and eat a serving of garlic, but it does work to lower cholesterol, can help to lower blood pressure, helps to prevent blood clots, and believe it or not, garlic is a natural antibiotic that helps to fight infections.

Beans

Very few of the best cholesterol fighting foods can compare with beans – beans of just about any kind. Beans are extremely high in fiber and help to ‘pick up’ cholesterol to be carried out of the body before it can collect in the bloodstream. The best cholesterol fighting beans are pinto, navy, kidney and believe it or not, butter beans.

Spinach

Anyone who remembers Popeye will know that spinach makes you strong and healthy. But spinach does more than promote strong muscles. Spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables are quite high in antioxidants that are known to reduce cholesterol in the bloodstream.

Shitake Mushrooms

While there have been few human studies, animal studies show that the substance eritadenine in shitake mushrooms can lower levels of cholesterol. According to studies conducted, levels of cholesterol were lowered proportionate to the amount of shitake mushrooms fed to the animal subjects. The more they were fed, the lower their levels of cholesterol went.

Cayenne Pepper

Here again we have something that is edible but isn’t quite classified as a food. Some people love hot, spicy foods so they will really enjoy piling on the cayenne pepper if they are looking for the best cholesterol lowering foods. The substance in cayenne that helps to reduce serum cholesterol is capsicum which has a whole host of other health benefits as well.

Chocolate

And, for the most unbelievable cholesterol lowering food of all is chocolate. However, not that rich creamy milk chocolate but dark chocolate does the trick. The first thing bittersweet dark chocolate is known to do is keep platelets from clumping together and the second thing that is known about it is it can help move cholesterol through the arteries and keep it from forming plaque.

There are other foods which can help naturally control levels of cholesterol as well, but these are the most unbelievable in that you would never consider them to be able to fight fat. While spinach is commonly seen as a nutritious vegetable, few of us realize its cholesterol fighting capacity. A cholesterol fighting diet does not have to be boring and these foods prove the point.