Foods That Increase Good Cholesterol
In our body we can find two types of cholesterol: that considered to be good, called HDL and which is responsible for collecting the cholesterol that our body does not use so to carry it to the liver and have it eliminated from the body, and LDL or bad cholesterol, which accumulates in the arteries, hindering the passage of blood and which may cause heart problems. A proper diet will help increase the good lipids and reduce the bad, so in OneHowTo.com we explain what foods increase good cholesterol so you an add these to your daily diet.
Contents
Foods high in soluble fiber
Among foods that increase good cholesterol are those those rich in soluble fiber, which slows down the process of absorption of bad cholesterol, thus favoring our heart's health. In this group we find the following:
- Whole grains such as oats and barley.
- Legumes such as lentils, beans, soy beans and peas.
- Vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, Brussels sprouts, beets, artichokes, carrots or asparagus.
- Fruits like strawberries, apples, pears, oranges and nectarines.
Foods rich in monounsaturated fats
These are alternatives that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which become foods that increase good cholesterol to provide healthy lipids that help us protect our heart.
This group includes:
- Oily fish.
- Nuts such as walnuts, pistachios, almonds or peanuts.
- Seeds such as flaxseed.
- Avocado
- Olive oil
- Vegetable oils such as sunflower or canola.
Foods rich in antioxidants
Antioxidants are ideal for keeping the cells of our body in good condition, preventing the formation of free radicals and promoting increases in good cholesterol, especially when providing polyphenols, which are regarded as excellent foods that increase good cholesterol.
The highlights of this type of foods are:
- Legumes such as lentils and beans.
- Tea.
- Berries like strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries as well as grapes.
- Seasonings and flavor-adding ingredients like pepper, onions and garlic.
- Whole wheat cereals.
- Black chocolate, which must contain at least 70% of cocoa to be considered beneficial.
Some recommendations
It is important that you consider not only what foods to eat to increase the good cholesterol, it is also necessary to reduce those high in bad lipids and lead a physically active life in order to keep the heart healthy. If you do not know what kind of foods you should avoid, stay away from fried food and solid fats, like butter and animal fat. Take a look at the foods that increase bad cholesterol for more information.
Moreover, we invite you to discover the best exercise to lower cholesterol levels.
This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to Foods That Increase Good Cholesterol, we recommend you visit our Family health category.
