By Rebecca Jones
For years doctors have been telling us what not to eat in order to lower our cholesterol but according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that list of don’t may be replaced by a list of do’s.
According to the latest research adding foods like soy, nuts and items high in fiber may have more of an impact on cholesterol than giving up red meat, butter and eggs. For their study researchers had one group eat cholesterol lowering foods such as tofu, nuts and legumes and compared their cholesterol levels with a control group that was instructed to eat a low fat diet.
The group that added cholesterol lowering foods had a 14% drop in LDL cholesterol compared to only a 3% drop in the control group. Here are the foods that brought about the greatest drop in cholesterol.
Oatmeal (or any high fiber food)
Consuming 5-10 grams of soluble fiber to your daily diet can help prevent the absorption of cholesterol into the blood stream. That’s the equivalent of 1 ½ cups of cooked oatmeal and 1 banana the perfect breakfast for kicking of a busy day.
Soy Products
Aim for 4 servings a day for maximum benefits. That can be a 4oz serving of tofu or try soymilk, soy nuts or soy yogurt to keep variety in your diet.
Almonds, walnuts and other nuts
While nuts can back a lot of fat and calories they are also great for reducing LDL cholesterol and their polyunsaturated fatty acids help keep blood vessels healthy. Aim for eating 1 ½ ounces of any kind of nut every day.
Plant Sterols
A type of phytochemical that naturally occurs in plants is another great cholesterol buster. Look for orange juice yogurt or margarine labeled plant sterol fortified and aim for four servings a day.
Fish
Score another point for omega-3 fatty acids. Not only can they reduce blood pressure and reduce the risk of blood clots and heart disease they can also help lower cholesterol. Try to eat at least two servings of fatty fish like salmon or mackerel every week for maximum benefits.
After years of hearing what not to eat it is refreshing for a study to come out with a list of all the things that are good for us. Start eating these cholesterol busting foods today and your LDL cholesterol will start going down in no time.