Your cholesterol levels influence your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, such as a heart attack or stroke. Not all forms of cholesterol are bad for you; one kind, known as high-density lipoprotein, or HDL cholesterol for short, can protect you from heart problems. Your HDL levels can be increased by changing what you eat.
Low Calorie
One way to raise your HDL cholesterol levels is to consume fewer calories than you burn each day. Cutting calories from your diet, particularly when combined with additional exercise, will allow you to lose excess body weight. Extra body fat can lower your HDL cholesterol levels; for every six pounds that you lose, your HDL cholesterol levels will rise by 1 mg/dL of blood, Mayo Clinic states.
Healthy Fats
A certain amount of fat is needed for your body to function properly, but the kinds of fat that you consume also affect your HDL levels. Certain fats, known as hydrogenated or "trans" fats can lower your HDL cholesterol levels while also raising your LDL or "bad" cholesterol levels, HealthCentral notes. Trans fats can be found in stick forms of margarine, processed snacks and commercial baked goods.
Lower Triglycerides
A diet to increase your HDL cholesterol levels should also aim to reduce your triglyceride levels, HealthCentral states, because reducing the levels of triglycerides will increase your HDL levels. Eating excess carbohydrates, particularly refined carbohydrates, such as added sugars and white flour, will raise your triglyceride levels because triglycerides are used to store excess energy. Eating foods with omega-3 fatty acids, such as fatty fish, will reduce your triglyceride levels and increase the amount of HDL cholesterol in your blood.
Alcohol
Moderate alcohol consumption can also improve your cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of having a heart attack or a stroke. Men should not have more than two drinks per day and women should not have more than one drink a day. Moderate alcohol consumption can increase your HDL cholesterol levels by as much as 4 mg,/dL, EMedTV notes. Drinking more than that, however, can damage your liver and increase your triglyceride levels.
