Foods that Raise HDL Cholesterol: Try This List of Super Foods to Raise Good Cholesterol Levels

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a yellowish/white fatty substance which is essential for the normal functioning of the human body. Yet it is responsible for a large proportion of heart attacks, strokes, circulatory problems and kidney disease, especially among people in the Western world.

About 70% of the body’s cholesterol is manufactured in the liver, while 30% is obtained through diet. Your cholesterol needs to be at a normal level in order to avoid large amounts being deposited into blood stream, and thus accumulating to obstruct the flow of blood in the arteries. If the artery is the heart, you will suffer from a heart attack; if the artery is the brain, you will suffer from a stroke. When your cholesterol level is within normal level, the risk of heart attacks and strokes is greatly reduced.

Have a Blood Test

If you are forty years of age or older, you should have a blood test to determine your cholesterol level. If your HDL (good cholesterol) level is less than 40mg/dL, your doctor will most likely advise you to raise HDL cholesterol with diet.

Raise Your HDL Cholesterol and Lower Your LDL

Following are some of the best super foods that raise HDL cholesterol and help to save your life.

Super food Group # 1: Garlic, Onions and Leeks.

These not only impart a delicious flavor to meals, but lower your total cholesterol. In the process, they also raise HDL cholesterol. Eat garlic and onions raw to get the optimum effect.

Super food Group # 2: Beans and Lentils

Include 3-4 ounces of canned or dry beans daily in your diet and this can reduce blood cholesterol levels while raising HDL. By doing this, you can have a 20% decrease in the risk of coronary heart disease.

Super food Group #3: Nuts and Seeds

Include nuts weekly in your diet to reduce blood cholesterol levels. Have your choice of peanuts, pecans, pistachio, walnuts, almonds or macadamia nuts. They contain powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, and as a result are great for fighting heart disease, which is an inflammatory condition.

Coriander seeds also contain these properties and so can lower levels of total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol, while increasing levels of HDL cholesterol.

Some Good HDL Promoting Foods

If you are at risk for heart disease or stroke, in addition to these super foods, you should take other measures to keep or bring your cholesterol levels back to normal. Eat more vegetables, and prioritize your meals with chicken breast, cereals, fish, fruit, margarine, olive oil, lean meat, pasta and skim milk. If you like chocolate, eat dark chocolate. If you drink alcohol, limit it to wine and beer.

Remember, a doctor’s visit is critical after you pass age 40. However, obesity also plays a great role in raising LDL cholesterol; so even if you are younger than 40, and are obese; do take that blood test and ascertain your cholesterol levels, so you can properly decrease LDL cholesterol and raise HDL cholesterol with diet.

References

10 Ways To Help Boost “Good” Cholesterol: https://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/good-cholesterol-6/10-tips

Triglycerides (Trigs) and Good Cholesterol (HDL): https://www.getthecholesterolfacts.com/managing-trigs-and-hdl.jsp?s_mcid=google-ppc4