Benecol is the brand name of a margarine-type spread and a line of chew candies that were specifically developed to help lower blood cholesterol levels. The active ingredients in Benecol products are plant stanols, substances found in very small...
Eating certain foods in excess such as liver, fried foods, desserts and foods high in saturated fat can cause high cholesterol, one of the major risk factors for heart disease -- the No.1 killer in the United States. According to the US...
Plant stanols are part of a larger group of compounds found in plants called phytosterols. Also included in this group are compounds called plant sterols, which have a slightly different structure. Think of phytosterols as the "cholesterol of...
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance produced naturally by your body and is also found in many foods. Your body needs some cholesterol, but elevated levels can increase your risk for heart disease, heart attack and stroke. CholestOff is an...
Oatmeal is touted for its cholesterol-lowering benefits. High in insoluble fiber, oatmeal is typically recommended as part of a healthy diet to reduce the amount of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in the blood. However, there are plenty of other...
Low density lipoprotein cholesterol, also known as LDL cholesterol, is commonly referred to as the "bad" cholesterol. Patients with high levels of this form of cholesterol are at an increased risk of developing atherosclerosis, which is a...
According to The American Heart Association, syndrome X, now called the metabolic syndrome is characterized by a group of metabolic risk factors including excess fat around the abdomen; lipid disorders, consisting of high triglycerides, low HDL,...
Too much cholesterol in your blood can lead to heart disease. There are two types of cholesterol. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is known as the good cholesterol. It is believed to help protect against heart disease. HDL tends to be eliminated...
Your cholesterol levels are based on low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which is the bad kind of cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which is the good kind. When you LDL is high and your HDL is low, you have a risk of developing arterial...
Cholesterol is a fatty substance that flows through the bloodstream and is produced in the liver. When cholesterol is under control, it is beneficial to hormone release and cell production. But when it becomes elevated, it can lead to the...
With heart disease remaining the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, researchers and doctors are constantly searching for new treatments and breakthroughs to combat this deadly disease. While phytosterols are not a...
High blood cholesterol probably wasn't a common health problem experienced by our very-distant ancestors. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, the diet they ate was likely very rich in plant-based proteins and phytosterols -- substances...
Cholesterol is found in every cell of your body. It helps your body process vitamin D, make hormones and process foods. In addition to being released from your liver, cholesterol is found in foods you eat. High-fat, animal-based foods and trans...
The main goal of cholesterol-lowering treatment is to lower your low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, level enough to reduce your risk for having a heart attack or heart disease. Almost everyone can get health benefits from LDL cholesterol that is...
If you have been diagnosed with high cholesterol, taking steps to treat the condition could be the difference between life and death. High cholesterol increases the likelihood of developing heart disease or suffering a heart attack or stroke. Once...
Even if you've had low cholesterol all your life, lifestyle changes, aging and health problems can cause your cholesterol levels to rise. While total cholesterol is important, the key factor is your low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, which is the...
In general, too much cholesterol in the bloodstream can raise the risk of heart disease. However, the body needs some cholesterol to function normally and not all not all types of cholesterol are bad, in fact, having a high level of some types...
Phytosterols, a family of naturally occurring chemical compounds made by plants, have a chemical structure similar to cholesterol and work to lower blood cholesterol by competing for absorption. Benefits range from 5 to 15 percent lowering of...
Eggplant is part of the category "functional foods." This category describes foods with physiologically active dietary components--components demonstrated to confer significant health benefits. Eggplant is part of this category due to its high...
Corn oil -- derived from the embryo of the corn kernel -- is commonly used for baking and frying and as an ingredient in salad dressings. Although corn oil contains too much saturated fat to be classified with olive and flaxseed oils as one of...
Plant sterols inhibit the intestinal absorption of cholesterol and may have an essential role in reducing your risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke. Plant sterols are found in vegetables, fruits, oils, grains and nuts. The Linus Pauling...
High blood cholesterol's association with heart disease makes it an important issue for people of all ages. Whether you're trying to reduce high cholesterol or prevent it, certain dietary measures can put you well on your way to meeting your...
Avocados are tropical fruits that are usually pear-shaped, egg-shaped or spherical. Ripe avocados yield to gentle pressure when squeezed. They are distinctly flavored and have a smooth, creamy texture. Avocado is usually served raw and is popular...
More than 106 million Americans over age 20 have total blood cholesterol levels of 200 mg/dL or higher, according to the American Heart Association. More women than men are affected by high cholesterol --- 55.9 million to 50.8 million --- which...
More than 20 million Americans take prescription drugs to lower their cholesterol. The most common cholesterol-lowering drugs are statins. Though statins are clinically effective in lowering cholesterol, they are expensive and may produce...
The Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes Diet was designed to treat cardiovascular disease, mainly lowering cholesterol to prevent atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the thickening of the blood vessel walls caused by the formation of plaque. According...
Even though the word "cholesterol" invokes negative reactions, it is necessary for proper functioning of cells in the body. According to the National Heart Association, it is a wax-like substance that forms the membranes of the cells and is also...
