Cholesterol is a type of fat which is made by liver that is found in our blood and every other cell of our body. It does not get dissolved in our blood and travels through the entire body. It has both advantages and disadvantages. On one hand, if it is the building block for our cell membranes then on the other, it can cause heart diseases and stroke. Therefore, it is essential to maintain a right cholesterol level in our blood.
A low cholesterol diet refers to the diet which is designed to reduce the amount of cholesterol that is circulating in our blood. It ensures that the cholesterol level in our blood does not exceed the maximum range.
Benefits of Low Cholesterol Food
- Low Cholesterol Food decreases the intake of dietary cholesterol in our body.
- Low Cholesterol Food also decreases the intake of saturated fats in our body.
- Low Cholesterol Food contains soluble fibre and beta-glucan that reduces the absorption of cholesterol in our bloodstream. This happens because such foods reduce the bad cholesterol LDL (Low-density Lipoprotein).
- Some of the low cholesterol food items have high levels of omega-3 fatty acids in them, that reduce one’s blood pressure and the risk of development of blood clots.
- Low Cholesterol Food items also help in reducing triglycerides. Triglycerides is also a form of fat which is found in the bloodstream.
- Food items rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids reduce blood cholesterol and help in keeping the blood vessels healthy.
- Sterols and Stanols are two additives which are found in low cholesterol foods that help in improving cholesterol levels. These compounds are natural and are found in some plants. They block the absorption of cholesterol in our intestines and in turn help in reducing the cholesterol levels.
- Switching to olive oil for cooking purpose also helps in reducing cholesterol by lowering bad LDL cholesterol level without affecting good HDL cholesterol level. Olive oil is also rich in Vitamin E which is an antioxidant that helps reducing the cholesterol levels.
- Low Cholesterol Food items that are rich in monounsaturated fat, also reducecholesterol by reducing bad LDL.
- Some low cholesterol foods have psylllium, a kind of natural fibre that reduce LDL cholesterol to a great extent.
- Low cholesterol food items that contain cocoa can also reduce the LDL cholesterol level among people suffering from heart disease.
