Contents:
- Medical Video: 5 High Cholesterol Foods that you should keep eating
- A safe guide to eating snacks for people with high cholesterol
- Healthy and delicious low cholesterol snacks
- 1. Popcorn
- 2. Nuts
- 3. Vegetables
- 4. Potato chips
- 5. Oatmeal
- 6. Fruits
- 7. Vegetable and pea soup
- 8. Wheat bread
Medical Video: 5 High Cholesterol Foods that you should keep eating
For those of you who have high cholesterol problems, you may be confused to choose a healthy low cholesterol snack, but still delicious. In fact, not a few people actually stop the habit snacking to keep cholesterol levels normal. In fact, you can take advantage of habitssnacking to help lower cholesterol, provided you choose wisely. So, what snacks are good for people with high cholesterol? Check out the full review below.
A safe guide to eating snacks for people with high cholesterol
People who have high cholesterol can still continue the habit snacking, with the note of avoiding foods made from butter, milk, or fatty meat. Because, these foods contain high fat which can form plaques in the arteries and clog the heart. If left unchecked, this can lead to heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
Also, avoid various snacks that contain trans fats, such as biscuits, crackersand other sweet foods to keep your blood sugar stable. According to The Ohio State University Medical Center Department of Nutrition Services, you are encouraged to eat snacks every two to three hours to keep feeling full throughout the day and maintain your body's blood sugar levels. Thus, you are no longer tempted to eat high cholesterol snacks.
Healthy and delicious low cholesterol snacks
1. Popcorn
Typical snacks when watching movies such as popcorn can be a choice of low cholesterol snacks. According to the American Heart Association, popcorn comes from whole corn seeds that contain high fiber and can help lower cholesterol.
Popcorn can be a healthy and appropriate snack if processed in the right way. Instead of using butter, you can use olive oil and a little parmesan cheese to make the popcorn more delicious but still healthy for you.
2. Nuts
Nuts can be the right snack choice if you want to lower cholesterol. Types of nuts that contain lots of HDL or good cholesterol are almonds, walnuts, and pecans.
A study shows that almonds are rich in unsaturated fats which are useful for lowering LDL (bad cholesterol) while increasing HDL. But remember, nuts also contain high calories.
So, just consume at least 30 grams of beans, or the equivalent of 24 almonds or 14 walnuts, to keep your cholesterol levels stable.
3. Vegetables
Vegetables are foods that are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals for the body. Not only good for controlling cholesterol levels, vegetables also contain low fat, sodium, and calories. That is, by multiplying eating vegetables can make you avoid heart disease.
So, you don't need to switch to a vegetarian diet just to lower your cholesterol. Just make sure you eat vegetables in various colors to get a variety of vitamins and minerals.
For example, by eating vegetable soup or salad consisting of various kinds of vegetables, you can already get lots of vitamins and minerals from these foods. Pair it with potatoes, chicken or eggs, so your salad and soup are complete with carbohydrates, protein and fiber.
4. Potato chips
To keep cholesterol levels normal, you are recommended to limit potato chips or various other fried foods that contain salt and high cholesterol. However, that doesn't mean you can't eat potato chips forever, you know!
Yes, you can make your own potato chips that are healthy and safe for your cholesterol. Basically, potatoes contain low calories and are high in fiber, potassium, and minerals that help keep blood pressure under control. So, make your own version of potato chips by roasting using olive oil.
5. Oatmeal
Don't just consider oatmeal as breakfast. You can also serve oatmeal as a healthy snack menu, you know!
Oatmeal contains soluble fiber which can absorb cholesterol and transfer it to the digestive system without being absorbed by the body. In addition, fiber can trigger the production of bile acids which can help reduce good cholesterol (LDL). Therefore, oatmeal can be one of the low cholesterol snacks that you should try.
6. Fruits
Just like vegetables, fruits can also be a "drug" that lowers your cholesterol. For example, apples, strawberries, grapes, and citrus fruits contain pectin, a type of fiber that can reduce LDL levels.
Not only that, fruits also contain potassium which can help control blood pressure. As a result, the body becomes healthier and avoids the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.
7. Vegetable and pea soup
A bowl of soup may not be the first thing that comes to mind as a snack. But in fact, soup can be a practical food and at the same time low in saturated fat, especially if enriched with various vegetables and nuts.
Adding nuts to vegetables can provide an intake of soluble fiber and protein that keeps you full longer. For example, every 230 grams of Edamame contains 25 grams of protein and low amounts of saturated fat. So, are you ready to make vegetable and pea soup as your snack today?
8. Wheat bread
Kristi King, RDN, MPH, nutritionist from Houston revealed to Everyday Health that whole wheat bread is very good for cholesterol-lowering snacks. This is because whole wheat contains a number of fibers and proteins that are useful for keeping cholesterol under control.
Every one slice of whole wheat bread contains two grams of protein and two grams of fiber which is good for digestion. You can also add whole wheat bread with a little cheddar cheese that is useful as a probiotic for intestinal health.
