9 ways to lower your risk of high cholesterol
Prevention is key when is comes to a healthy heart. Improve your cholesterol levels by following these tips
5. Snack on nuts
It may seem odd, since nuts are fatty, but they really are excellent for your cholesterol, thanks in part to the cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated fats they contain. Choosing almonds instead of a doughnut, chips or pretzels for your afternoon snack every day could cut bad cholesterol by nearly 10 per cent. A bonus is that vitamin E in the almond's 'meat' plus flavonoids in its papery skin protect LDL from oxidation, which is the first step in the development of artery-clogging plaque.
If you want to raise your HDL at the same time? Choose walnuts. Bad cholesterol fell 10 per cent and good cholesterol rose 18 per cent when 58 women and men in one study snacked on about 14 walnut halves a day for six months.
Nuts are high in calories, so control portions. A 90 calorie serving is about 12 almonds, eight whole cashews, eight pecans, 26 pistachios or seven walnut halves. Double that for a 180 calorie serving. Eating a small handful of any type of nut is a good rule of thumb when it comes to portion control.
If you want to raise your HDL at the same time? Choose walnuts. Bad cholesterol fell 10 per cent and good cholesterol rose 18 per cent when 58 women and men in one study snacked on about 14 walnut halves a day for six months.
Nuts are high in calories, so control portions. A 90 calorie serving is about 12 almonds, eight whole cashews, eight pecans, 26 pistachios or seven walnut halves. Double that for a 180 calorie serving. Eating a small handful of any type of nut is a good rule of thumb when it comes to portion control.
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