While it's tempting to think of all fats as unhealthy, the polyunsaturated fats known as omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in cholesterol management and heart health. Fish and nuts, foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, are also two of the five best foods to lower your blood cholesterol, according to Mayoclinic.com.
Sources
Your body doesn't produce omega-3 fatty acids on its own, so you need to select foods rich in these essential nutrients. Fatty cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines, albacore tuna and halibut contain the omega-3 fatty acids known as eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA. Walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios and some kinds of pine nuts are rich in the omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA.
Prevention/Solution
Omega-3 fatty acids help lower your blood cholesterol and reduce high blood pressure, says the University of Maryland Medical Center. They can also reduce the level of LDL, or "bad" cholesterol in your body. DHA and EPA can help prevent extra LDL cholesterol from creating the hard arterial plaques that cause coronary heart disease. Omega-3 fatty acids also reduce the triglyceride fats in your blood that raise LDL levels.
Recommendations
The American Heart Association advises that you to eat at least four servings of nuts and two or more 3.5-oz. servings of fatty fish every week to promote optimal cholesterol levels. If you have already developed coronary heart disease, your doctor might recommend that you add fish oil capsules to your regular diet. Some people bleed excessively if they have too much omega-3 fatty acids in the diet, so don't exceed 3 g a day from fish oil capsules unless your doctor says otherwise.
Tips
Exercise common sense when shopping for fish and nut products. Avoid fish that's been breaded or deep-fried, use heart-healthy cooking methods such as poaching or broiling and substitute lemon juice or a dash of olive oil for cream sauces or tartar sauce. Look for raw or unsalted roasted nuts in the health food, baking or produce sections of your supermarket. Stay away from nuts coated with sugar, chocolate or salt. Since nuts are high in calories, use them as garnishes in salads, casseroles and desserts rather than sitting down with a bowl of them.
Warnings
Pregnant women and children should avoid king mackerel and other fish with the greatest potential for mercury contamination and limit fish such as canned light tuna or salmon to 12 oz. a week, says the American Heart Association. If you're fishing in lakes, rivers or oceans, check with local authorities to see if there are any warnings about mercury contamination.
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