Foods To Reduce Cholesterol

20.09.2018

Over half of all adults in England have raised cholesterol (>5mmol/L). Healthy adults should aim for total cholesterol of 5mmol/L or less and LDL cholesterol of 3mmol/L or less – this will be slightly different to those at an increased risk of heart attack.

There are two kinds of cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) known as “bad cholesterol”, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) known as “good” cholesterol.

Carrying high levels of LDL cholesterol in your blood increases your risk of heart attack and stroke, therefore you want to do as much as you can to ensure your cholesterol levels remain healthy.

Every 7 minutes someone in the UK will have a heart attack
Every 12 minutes someone in the UK will have a stroke

The good news is that there are certain foods that will help to lower your cholesterol levels.

Liver and chicken	Both liver and chicken contain niacin, a B vitamin that has been found to increase the level of good cholesterol.
Soy protein Soy beans, tofu, soy milk	A good source of lean protein, which has been shown to help lower levels of LDL cholesterol.
Ginger	Studies have shown that ginger can help to reduce LDL cholesterol levels as well as boost HDL cholesterol.
Linseed	Linseed is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which has been shown to help raise your HDL cholesterol levels.
Soluble fibre Orange, pear, peach, asparagus, whole wheat bread, oats, kidney beans	Soluble fibre lowers cholesterol absorption in your bloodstream, helping to reduce your overall levels.