lowering cholesterol : the 6 keys of Mediterranean diet
“By making the right food choices, we can lower cholesterol level “. But the objective should not stop there. Cardiovascular health in the broad sense that must be aimed”, And on this point, the Mediterranean diet is far ahead of other nutritional models.
- April 26, 2021
- 1:37 pm
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Go for fibers for lowering your cholesterol
By increasing satiety, fibers ease the weight loss, which can lead to a 5 to 15% drop in LDL, the “bad” cholesterol.
Among the fibers, the ones called soluble also have the ability, by binding to cholesterol located in the intestine, to facilitate its elimination through the feces”
Where do we find it ?
- All fruits and vegetables. Apple, pear, dried fig, berries, banana, grape, orange, peach are more particularly rich in soluble fibers. In the vegetables, chicory, onion, garlic, leek, asparagus, artichoke, artichoke, salsify, endive, turnip and eggplant.
Legumes: lentils, chickpeas, dried beans, etc. Which also provide magnesium and potassium, involved in the regulation of blood pressure. Soy contains proteins that reduce LDL-cholesterol levels by 2 to 3%, according to several studies.
Whole cereals: Oats (bran, flakes, flour) and barley are particularly rich in beta-glucan, a very viscous soluble fiber which, at a rate of 3 g per day (the equivalent of 30 to 40 g oats or barley), lowers cholesterol and LDL.
Lower cholesterol ? Bet on antioxidants
Because they are beneficial to arterial health! “They also slightly lower triglycerides, which in turn increases HDL. ( Good fat )
Where do we find them ?
- Fruits and vegetables are a good source of antioxidants
- In nuts, which combine other cardioprotective elements (phytosterols, soluble fibers, monounsaturated fatty acids, vegetable proteins). Several studies have shown that almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts increase HDL and lower LDL.
Ensure your omega-3 intake
- Rapeseed oil.
- Nuts and walnut oil.
- And especially in fatty fish (sardines, herring, salmon, anchovies etc.), the species and places of supply must be varied (wild, farmed, etc.) to limit the risk of overexposure to chemical contamination. Lean fish and seafood are also interesting.
Lean meats for a low cholesterol
Poultry, veal and rabbit are excellent sources of protein and contain much less saturated fat than other red meats and cold cuts.
Traditional Mediterranean diet contains rarly red meat. The high consumption of red meat and processed meats (including cold cuts) is also associated with an increased risk of heart attacks and colorectal cancer. If it’s hard to prevent yourself from red meat, you might as well choose the least fatty pieces: minced steak (5% fat ), sirloin steak, beef bourguignon, roast beef, tenderloin, roast veal, filet mignon, roast pork.
Choose cautiously dairy products
“Saturated fatty acids from fermented dairy products (cheese and yoghurt) are less well absorbed in the intestines than those from butter.
The best thing would be to replace the butter by margarine made from rapeseed (omega-3) or olive (polyphenols) oil.
Easy on sugar
“Sugar does not directly affect cholesterol, but can lead to weight gain, which increases total cholesterol and especially triglycerides, which has the effect of lowering HDL (the” good “cholesterol)
