Maintaining low cholesterol has been found to be important to heart health, as cholesterol can clog the arteries and lead to heart disease, heart attacks and stroke, according to the American Heart Association. About 25 percent of cholesterol comes from the food we eat and the rest is made in the body. Various herbs have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood, but consultation with a medical professional is advised before beginning any herbal treatment, especially for people who are are taking statin drugs or those with high levels of cholesterol.
Red Yeast Rice
Red yeast rice is from the herb Monascus purpureus. The yeast has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Though not an herb, it grows on an herb. The extract is called Zhi Tai in Chinese medicine and it contains a compound called monacolins that inhibits the synthesis of cholesterol.
Garlic
The Mayo Clinic states that garlic may reduce cholesterol. Garlic contains a compound called organosulphur, as does broccoli and cauliflower. These compounds help balance the cholesterol levels in the blood.
Alfalfa
The herb alfalfa contains a compound called saponin that has been shown to repven the absorption of choseteroall.
Capsicum
Capsicum comes from the cayenne pepper plant. This herb is known to stimulate circulation and has been shown to reduce cholesterol and also lower blood pressure in recent studies.
Psyllium
The herb psyllium was been under investigation as a cholesterol reducing herb since 1997. Research has shown that adding five grams of psyllium a day to the diet can lower LDL cholesterol.
Green Tea
The University of Maryland Medical Center states that green tea can lower cholesterol. Used in India and China for thousands of years, this herb from the Camellia sinesis plant both lowers total cholesterol and raises the "good" or HDL cholesterol. The herb contains a compound called polyphenols that are the active ingredient. Researchers suspect that this compound blocks absorption of the cholesterol fat.
