Cholesterol is both our best friend and our greatest enemy. You will probably have heard of "bad" cholesterol (LDL) and "good" cholesterol (HDL). When people speak of having bad cholesterol, or if they say they want to lower their cholesterol, what they mean is that they are trying to address their LDL levels. As such, a list of low cholesterol foods is generally a list that has low LDL, and most likely also high HDL. Let's take a look at what such a list would include.
List Of Low Cholesterol Foods: Lower High Cholesterol:
When people think about cholesterol, they tend to think immediately about fat. That is because cholesterol (good and bad) is a fatty substance. However, not all fats are off the charts if you need to lower your cholesterol. You just have to make sure that you consume the good types. These are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. You will find these in avocados, olives, peanuts, peanut oil, canola oil, and olive oil. Not only are these oils low in bad cholesterol and high in good cholesterol, but they also actively help to lower your LDL levels. Scientists believe the reduction to be as much as 18%.
Bran:
Then, there is bran. Bran is really high in fiber and should be part of your daily breakfast, to give your body a good start of the day. Both oats and rice are excellent bran options and should be a part of any list of low cholesterol foods. They help to reduce your levels of bad cholesterol by between 7% and 14%.
Omega 3:
Next, there is omega 3. Omega 3 is found naturally in fatty fish like mackerel, salmon, and tuna. In a healthy diet, you should consume this type of fish at least three times per week. You need to make sure you don't eat too much of it, however, as our oceans have significant levels of mercury and other toxic chemicals, which you are likely to ingest in unacceptable levels if you eat too much fatty fish. If this concerns you, if you don't like seafood, or if you are vegetarian, you should consider supplementing your omega 3 levels. One way to achieve that in a safe, vegetarian friendly manner, is through flaxseed oil. Flaxseed can lower your bad cholesterol by between 8% and 14%.
Garlic:
Another important natural product to add to your diet is garlic. Garlic is not just good at lowering your LDL levels (by between 9% and 12%), it also helps to lower blood pressure. The best way to eat it is raw, added to some olive oil for a salad drizzle, for instance.
Nuts:
Last but not least, there are nuts. Lots of nuts, like hazelnuts and peanuts, are really good. The best, however, are almonds. Almonds can help lower your levels of bad cholesterol by between 7% and 10%. However, almonds are very high in calories. Hence, while research has shown that eating a full cup of almonds can reduce your LDL levels by 10%, you shouldn't actually eat more than half a cup due to the high calories.