1. Soluble Fiber in Vegetables Lowers Cholesterol
Vegetables that have a large amount of soluble fiber are very helpful in reducing cholesterol. Some vegetables with soluble fiber include brussels sprouts, carrots, cabbages, dried peas and sweet potatoes. To reap the benefits of lowered cholesterol from vegetables of these types, it's recommended that an individual eat at least five servings a day in combination with fruits that are also beneficial in lowering cholesterol.
2. Popeye Must Have Known His Veggies Well
Spinach is one of those vegetables that seems to have it all, including lutein, which is the healthy pigment that's found in many dark green leafy vegetables. The lutein in spinach is very beneficial in protecting the body against heart attacks because it assists the walls of the arteries to knock out cholesterol before it can do damage to the arteries. Spinach, with its lutein, is already well known in helping the body protect itself from age-related macular degeneration, which is likely to cause blindness. So steam it, boil it or eat it fresh; just eating 1/2 cup of day of spinach can have amazing preventative actions for your body.
3. Navy, Pinto or Black, There's a Bean for Everyone
Beans qualify to have their very own paragraph regarding the benefits of lowering cholesterol in the arteries. They're a vegetable that's extremely rich in fiber and the best kind of fiber--soluble fiber. Find a type of bean that you like, eat 1 cup each day and possibly lower your cholesterol up to 10 percent in just 6 weeks. Some varieties of beans to enjoy include black beans, kidney beans, navy beans, chickpeas, butter beans or pinto beans. If you don't want to eat them alone, add some beans to a salad or put some in your soup.
4. Don't Butter Your Bread, Take Control or Benecol It Instead
Dinner table butters and margarines are being replaced with healthier alternatives such as "Take Control" and "Benecol." These contain plant sterols and stanols, some of which come from soybeans. Substituting these into your diet to replace butter or margarine can lower your cholesterol levels as much as 6 to 12 percent. The plant sterols are also found in some salad dressings, so read the labels to find yourself the healthiest salad dressing option possible.
