List Of Foods With Good And Bad Cholesterol

High cholesterol is strongly associated with conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, circulatory problems, angina, heart attack and hypertension. Therefore, eating foods that contain good cholesterol and limiting the ones that have bad cholesterol will help prevent those conditions. As a general rule, meat and diary products are the primary sources of bad cholesterol, where fiber rich foods and fish are great sources of good cholesterol.

Eat Fiber Rich Foods

According to Dr. Mary P. McGowan, MD, and author of " 50 ways to Lower Cholesterol " the consumption of twenty five grams of fibers daily may lower the levels of blood cholesterol between five and 15 percent. Water soluble fibers are more important than the insoluble fibers in reducing the blood cholesterol level. Great sources of this type of fibers include beans, peas, soy beans, brown rice, barley, rye, and chia. Fruits such as plums, berries, bananas, apples and pears have also a significant amount of fibers. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Jerusalem artichokes and carrots are great sources of vegetable based fibers. Whole grain cereals and oats are good sources as well.

Eat More Fish

Fatty fish such as sardines, mackerel, salmon, albacore tuna, trout and herring are better than leaner fish to decrease cholesterol levels because fatty fish contain larger quantities of omega 3 fatty acids. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least two servings a week, where each serving should contain around three and a half ounces of cooked fish, or three quarters cup of flaked fish. Same source indicates that omega 3 fatty acids have been shown to benefit the heart of healthy people as well of those who have documented cardiovascular disease. Fish oil supplements are made from fatty fish oils.
Dick C. Chan, MD, and colleagues published a study in the July 2006 issue of "American Society for Nutrition" that evaluated the benefits of fish oil compared with a statin drug on lowering cholesterol levels . The study involved forty-eight men suffering from insulin-resistance and high cholesterol levels. Researchers concluded that fish oil improved high-density lipoproteins or good cholesterol.

Avoid Meat and Diary Products

Meat and dairy products contain saturated fats that have bad cholesterol, thus the consumption of these foods should be limited. Beef, pork, processed meats, such as sausages and hot dogs, and dairy products like cream, cheese and ice cream contain significant amounts of saturated fats. Trans fats are another type of fat that should be avoided, since they raise the bad cholesterol and lower the good cholesterol. Margarine, processed foods, fried foods and commercially baked products are important sources of trans fats, and ideally they should be completely eliminated from the diet.