8 Foods That May Lower Your Cholesterol
Following
an overall healthy diet that’s low in saturated fat and abundant in fruits and
vegetables is wiser than obsessing over specific "super" foods.
Still,
some foods have been shown to give cholesterol levels an extra nudge in the
right direction:
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Oats
When
women in a University of Toronto study added oat bran to an already
heart-healthy diet, HDL-cholesterol levels—the beneficial kind—climbed more than
11 percent.
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Almonds
A 2005 Tufts University study found that substances in almond skins help
prevent LDL cholesterol from being oxidized, a process that can otherwise damage
the lining of blood vessels and increase cardiovascular risk.
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Beans & Lentils(扁豆)
In results reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2005,
LDL-cholesterol levels fell almost twice as far in volunteers on a low-fat diet
who added beans and lentils (along with more whole grains and vegetables) to the
menu.
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Blueberries
Blueberries contain a powerful antioxidant called pterostilbene that may help
lower LDL cholesterol, scientists at the Agricultural Research Service reported
in 2004.
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Barley(大麦)
When volunteers in a 2004 USDA study added barley to the standard American
Heart Association diet, LDL-cholesterol levels fell more than twice as
far
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Avocados(鳄梨)
The monounsaturated fats in avocados have been found to lower bad LDLs and
raise good HDLs, especially in people with mildly elevated cholesterol.
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Alcohol
Drinking a glass of wine with dinner—any alcoholic beverage, in fact—has been
shown to raise good-cholesterol levels and lower the risk of a heart attack.
(Excessive drinking, however, raises heart-disease danger.)