High cholesterol.. Two types of foods lower bad cholesterol levels
High cholesterol affects an estimated 39 per cent of adults in the UK, and although medical intervention is sometimes required to lower cholesterol, some changes in diet can also play an important role in lowering cholesterol. The two foods that doctors may recommend for patients with high cholesterol are pumpkin seeds and berries.
The British newspaper, “Express”, quoted medical doctor Catherine Basford, confirming that consuming large amounts of unhealthy fats from processed foods such as sausages, butter, cakes and biscuits can increase the amount of bad cholesterol in the blood, which can lead to clogged arteries.
The doctor added that by increasing some foods in the diet, it can reduce blood cholesterol levels, and one of the most effective foods in improving cholesterol levels is pumpkin seeds, which contain a compound called phytosterol, which is very effective in lowering harmful cholesterol levels.
The plant sterols in pumpkin seeds work along with omega-3 fatty acids to benefit total cholesterol levels, and omega-3s also reduce atherosclerosis, and studies show that pumpkin seeds can also lower triglycerides (blood fats) and blood pressure.
According to a study published in Scielo Brazil, researchers observed a significant decrease in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) values and diastolic blood pressure and an increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the good fats), after eating pumpkin seeds.
The doctor pointed out that berries are rich in polyphenols, a plant compound that helps reduce the risk of strokes, improve insulin resistance, systemic infections, and lower blood pressure. Several studies have found that berries increase good cholesterol, lower bad cholesterol, and reduce the risk of high blood pressure.
A 2008 Finnish study concluded that antioxidant-rich berries may lower blood pressure and raise good cholesterol, and in 2016 a scientific report published in the US National Library of Medicine found that berries significantly reduce levels of LDL cholesterol.
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