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The excess
accumulation of cholesterol can lead to a stroke or heart attack. This
happens because the build-up of excess cholesterol begins to clog the
blood vessels leading to arteriosclerosis. It is believed that the overall
incidence of strokes and heart attacks could be reduced by as much as
50% if Americans could reduce their cholesterol level by 25%. In fact,
for every 1% of lowered blood cholesterol, the chances of having a
heart attack are reduced by 2%.
However, all
cholesterol is not bad, as most know by now. There are two types of
cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein
(LDL). HDL helps to remove excess fats from your blood while high LDL
is known to lead to a higher incidence of strokes and heart attacks.
So the question is
how can we follow a diet that helps us reduce LDL while still gaining
the benefits of HDL? Below you will find a list of foods to avoid and
foods you should eat in order to reduce overall cholesterol levels.
Food To Avoid
Eggs – Eggs
have very high levels of LDL. (Note that the white of an egg is not bad
for you.)
Fats and Oils
– Fried foods, hydrogenated oils and excess amount of other oils
are all considered to be very high in LDL.
Sugar Products
– Most sugar products will increase LDL almost exclusively. Avoid
them.
Meat Products
– All meat products have very high levels of HDL and should be
avoided.
Shell Fish –
Though overall fish are healthy and help to reduce cholesterol this is
not the case with shellfish. Crabs, shrimp (prawns), lobster and other
such foods are very high in LDL.
Dairy Products
– All dairy products have high levels of LDL. It is recommended
that you use non-fat dairy products instead.
Fast Foods –
Most, if not all fast foods are very high in fat content and increase
LDL.
FOODS TO EAT
Low-Fat / Non-Fat
Dairy Products – Low fat or no-fat dairy products are much better
options than their normal counterparts but make sure you know the
actual fat content of the item.
Non-Shell Fish
– All fish are high in Omega-3 and as a result they actually help
lower cholesterol.
Soy Products
– Soy products high in protein are good for reducing cholesterol.
Nuts – Nuts
such as walnut, almond, pecan and peanut all help to reduce cholesterol
if they are eaten in their natural form.
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