According to the Mayo Clinic website, high-density lipoproteins are considered good cholesterol. HDL cholesterol transports excess bad, or low-density lipoprotein, cholesterol in your blood to your liver. Your liver subsequently breaks down the excess LDL cholesterol. The Mayo Clinic suggests that increasing your HDL cholesterol levels may reduce your risk of heart disease. The Clinic recommends HDL cholesterol levels for adult men and women that are 60 mg/dL or higher.
Fish
According to a publication by the University of Massachusetts Medical School, ingesting several servings of fish may increase your HDL, or good, cholesterol. Fatty fish may have the most effect on increasing your HDL levels. Fatty fish include fish like salmon, sardines and herring. Additionally, the medical school publication suggests that fish oil supplements may increase HDL cholesterol over a longer period of time.
Cranberries
According to the World's Healthiest Foods online database, cranberries may help lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and simultaneously raise high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The data references a study in which drinking three glasses of cranberry juice per day increased HDL cholesterol by an average of 10 percent. The World's Healthiest Foods suggests this raise in HDL levels may reduce the risk of heart disease by approximately 40 percent.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil helps raise your high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. According to the World's Healthiest Foods website, olive oils that have higher phenolic content like extra virgin olive oil may raise your HDL cholesterol levels better than oils with lower phenolic content. The website notes research that indicates high phenolic content olive oils like extra virgin olive oil may help reduce the ratio of total to HDL cholesterol.
Shrimp
Shrimp may help raise your HDL cholesterol levels. Shrimp may provide a high-protein, low-fat and low-calorie alternative to other meats. The World's Healthiest Foods website suggests that shrimp may provide cardiovascular health benefits that derive from shrimp's effect on cholesterol. The website references a study in which study participants ate a shrimp diet that included 300 g of shrimp per day. The results of the study indicate that the shrimp diet increased HDL cholesterol by approximately 12 percent.
Avocados
Avocados may help reduce bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol levels. The World's Healthiest Foods online database references a study that evaluated cholesterol levels in subjects who consumed avocados for seven days. The results of the study revealed an 11 percent increase in HDL cholesterol levels among avocado-consuming subjects. Additionally, avocados may improve your overall cholesterol levels by improving your HDL to LDL cholesterol ratio. Avocados contain a monounsaturated fat known as oleic acid, which may help lower bad LDL cholesterol levels.
