KEY POINTS

  • When you have a lot of bad cholesterol in your body, you are exposing yourself to danger
  • There are ways to lower bad cholesterol levels and ensure that you regain good health
  • One of the effective ways to do this is to eat the right kind of cholesterol-lowering foods

Many people are not aware of the amount of cholesterol they have. Because of this, various ailments may start to develop without them even noticing until it is too late. Although your body needs cholesterol to function properly, having too much of it can put you at a very serious health risk. In fact, it may even cause you to develop conditions that can lead to stroke or heart attacks.

It is, therefore, important to make sure your cholesterol is at normal levels. If you have too much, you need to makes some lifestyle changes to help reduce it. Taking some supplements can also help.

The Two Types of Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a slick substance found in your body cells. Your liver produces cholesterol, and you can also get it from dairy products or meat.

Lipoproteins, the tiny packages composed of protein on the inside and fat on the exterior, carry cholesterol through your circulatory system. These lipoproteins have two major subtypes. These are the high-density lipoproteins or HDL and the low-density lipoproteins or the LDL.

HDL is recognized as good cholesterol because they travel throughout your body, picking up excess fat in the process. This excess fat, which is in the form of LDL cholesterol, is then taken by the HDL to the liver where it is broken down and ejected from the body.

LDL is seen as bad cholesterol because it attaches to the walls of the arteries in the form of plaque, which then constricts the blood vessels. There are various factors why there are people who have high cholesterol levels while some do not. These factors may include diet, genes, and smoking. Since cholesterol levels cannot be easily detected, and no symptoms indicate such, the American Heart Association recommends you to have your cholesterol levels regularly tested. If you are worried if you have high levels of cholesterol, you might want to take these supplements to lower them.

cholesterol, fiber, fruits, vegetables
Pictured: A plant-based meal with cholesterol, fiber, fruits, vegetables. 27707 - Pixabay

Soluble Fiber

This is found in foods like Brussels sprouts, pears, apples, and kidney beans. Soluble fiber can lower cholesterol absorption in the bloodstream of a person. It can also help in reducing both overall and bad LDL cholesterol by binding with the digestive system’s cholesterol particles and then ejecting them from the body before absorption.

Soy Protein

Made from defatted and dehulled soybean meal, it is a protein isolated from the soybean. Defatted and dehulled soybeans are processed into three types of high protein products, such as soy flour, isolates, and concentrates. Health experts highly recommend soy foods for those who have high cholesterol levels, as it can help reduce LDL cholesterol.

Red Yeast Rice

Red yeast rice has a compound called monacolin K, an active ingredient similar to cholesterol-lowering medications. Because of this, red yeast rice is frequently used as a low-cost alternative to costly medications to help minimize cholesterol levels and improve heart health.