National Cholesterol Month – October
High cholesterol is a silent killer – every 7 minutes someone in the UK will have a heart attack and every 12 minutes someone in the UK will have a stroke. Having high cholesterol levels will increase your risk of succumbing to these diseases. Therefore, maintaining a healthy cholesterol level is vital.
There are two kinds of cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) known as “bad cholesterol”, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) known as “good” cholesterol.
60% of adults in the UK have raised cholesterol. In order to have your cholesterol testing, simply visit your GP. This is especially important to do if you have heart disease of high cholesterol running within your family.
Once tested, you will be given your ‘Total Cholesterol’ level – below is the breakdown and therefore where you lie on the risk scale.
Total Cholesterol
Below 5.2 mmol/L DESIREABLE
5.2 – 6.2 mmol/L BORDERLINE HIGH
Above 6.2 mmol/L HIGH
The good news is that there are certain foods that will help to lower your cholesterol levels.
Liver and chicken
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Both liver and chicken contain niacin, a B vitamin that has been found to increase the level of good cholesterol. |
Spinach
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Research found that the lutein contained within spinach aids in the fight against cholesterol. |
Avocado
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Avocados are full of monounsaturated fat – great for heart health. |
Ginger
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Studies have shown that ginger can help to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol levels as well as boost HDL (good) cholesterol. |
Soy protein (e.g. beans, tofu)
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Studies have also shown that the special proteins in soya appear to influence how the body regulates cholesterol. |
Dark chocolate
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Contains antioxidants help to keep blood platelets from sticking together and it has been suggested may even keep your arteries unclogged. |
Nuts
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Rich in vegetable protein, fibre, heart healthy unsaturated fats, Vitamin E, magnesium and potassium – nuts are essentially worth their weight in gold when it comes to cholesterol fighting properties. |
Linseed
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Linseed is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which has been shown to help raise your HDL (good) cholesterol levels. |
Oats
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Oats are rich in a specific soluble fibre named beta glucan. Beta glucan forms a gel internally once consumed which helps bind cholesterol in the intestines and therefore prevents it from being absorbed. |
Salmon
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Salmon is loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids – studies have shown that this type of fat can actually protect against high cholesterol. |
Garlic
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Research has discovered that garlic helps stop artery-clogging plaque forming by stopping cholesterol particles sticking to artery walls. |
Use our recipe page by clicking on the button below to navigate your way through our recipes guided by their ingredients. Type your desired ingredients into the ‘keyword’ box and you’ll have dozens of meals to enjoy that will help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
