Fed up with the constant nagging about eating you ‘five-a-day’?
Listen up, as one expert has just revealed which foods are absolute game-changers for cholesterol control and surprisingly, they’re not all greens. Courtney, who’s dubbed as the ‘dietician with twins‘, took to TikTok to share her wisdom which has since racked up hundreds of shares online.
“Let’s talk about the foods that can actually improve your lipid profile by lowering your triglycerides and raising your HDL good cholesterol,” she said in a post to her account. “Starting with healthy fats, this will come from avocados, nuts and seeds, eggs preferably pasteurised eggs will contain more micronutrients… further improve those cholesterol levels.
“Fibre is key to lowering cholesterol levels and leafy greens, one of the richest sources of fibre in the diet. [Aim] for three cups of leafy green per day.”
Cholesterol, while necessary for the body, can become a health hazard when its levels climb too high, potentially leading to blocked arteries and increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. In the UK alone, heart attacks are behind 68,000 deaths each year.
Avoiding exercise and eating fatty foods are among the major drivers of this, alongside smoking and drinking too much alcohol. Typically, there are no symptoms of high cholesterol but doctors can identify it using a blood test.
Courtney went on: “Lean proteins are going to help increase muscle mass, balance your blood sugar [and] lower overall inflammation. Wild-caught seafood is full of anti-inflammatory fats as well.
“Aim to include these in your diet twice a week. Sweet potatoes and gluten-free grain also have been shown to help with cholesterol levels as well as blueberries, spices like turmeric and ginger as well as green tea.
“Incorporate these foods regularly in the diet… watch your cholesterol levels improve.”
Meanwhile, a previous Mirror article also recommended beetroot when it comes to lowering cholesterol. NHS Dr Suraj Kukadia – or Dr Sooj – explained: “Are beetroots good for you? Beetroots are excellent.
“Dietary nitrate has been proven to lower blood pressure both centrally and peripherally. On top of this, it can also help improve athletic performance.”