Cholesterol Busting Foods!
The best eating plan for anyone worried about their cholesterol is to enjoy a diet low in saturated fat and abundant in fruits and vegetables, which is great for us Unislimer’s as our Food Maximizing plan does just that! As we get older we become more susceptible to higher cholesterol levels and it’s not always our diet that’s to blame; other risk factors such as lifestyle, stress and family history all contribute but the good news is that by eating well and exercising regularly we can reduce our risk. Although there are no magic bullets beyond that healthy prescription, certain foods have been shown to give cholesterol levels an extra nudge in the right direction; so next time you’re in the supermarket, toss one of these cholesterol friendly foods into your trolley.
Almonds
These delicious snacks make it onto just about every heart-healthy list! Substances in almond skins help prevent “bad” cholesterol from being oxidized, a process that can increase cardiovascular risk. A tablespoon counts as just 1 YUM so why not try sprinkling them on cereals and salads or nibble on a few for an afternoon snack for a cardio boosting snack.
Blueberries
Blueberries contain a powerful antioxidant called pterostilbene that may help lower cholesterol. Toss a handful of frozen blueberries (much cheaper than fresh varieties and still packed with nutrients!) together with 150ml of unsweetened orange juice and some fat-free vanilla-flavoured yogurt into the blender for a healthy breakfast drink or simply sprinkle fresh blueberries on cereals or eat them by the handfuls for snack without worrying about portion as they are a Unislim FREE food.
Oats
When women participating in cholesterol research added some oats to an already heart-healthy diet their HDL-cholesterol levels, that’s the beneficial kind, climbed more than 11%! A hearty bowl (30g) of warm porridge oats is the perfect way to start these chilly mornings and it counts as just 1 low/medium GI serving if you use skimmed milk. Oat bran muffins can also pack a tasty treat into your day; just make sure it stays at the correct serving size to be counted in your carbs!
Avocado
This humble fruit gets a bad press for being high in fat when really, it contains mostly monounsaturated fats which have been found to lower our bad cholesterol and raise the good, especially in people with mildly elevated cholesterol. Like everything, portion control is still necessary and Unislim recommends you count 1 avocado half as 1 fat/oil serving. Slice avocados into sandwiches and salads or mash with garlic, lemon juice and salsa for a terrific guacamole.
Spinach
The heart healthy spinach contains lots of lutein, the sunshine-yellow pigment found in dark green leafy vegetables and egg yolks. Lutein already has a "golden" reputation for guarding against age-related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness but now research suggests that just one serving a day will also guard against heart attacks by helping artery walls shrug off cholesterol invaders that cause clogging. Spinach also has a “golden” reputation with Unislim for been a FREE food so all this cholesterol kicking news sounds good to us!
