If you live in Alexandria, VA, you’re lucky. You can eat local fruit, while lowering your cholesterol. Cholesterol isn’t necessarily bad. Your body needs cholesterol to function properly. If you have too much or the wrong type of cholesterol, it can cling to the artery walls and clog the arteries. That can increase the risk of heart disease. Luckily, a change in diet can make a difference and one of those changes is including cholesterol lowering fruit.
What’s the best fruit to lower cholesterol?
You probably already know that apples are good for you, but did you realize they’re the number one cholesterol lowering fruits? While some foods that lower cholesterol do it via their high omega-3 content and others lower it with high fiber, apples lower cholesterol because of high fiber and the specific type of fiber it contains, the soluble fiber pectin. It reduces the amount of cholesterol that’s absorbed in the bloodstream. Apples contain the best pectin for lowering cholesterol.
Oranges and avocados lower cholesterol.
While oranges don’t grow in Alexandria, VA, you can easily find them at the grocery store. They contain nutrients that can improve your health, particularly heart health. Studies have shown that even drinking orange juice can help lower LDL—bad—cholesterol levels. Consuming the whole orange increases dietary fiber and pectin, which boosts the cholesterol busting ability. Avocados, which most people don’t realize are fruits, contain monounsaturated fat that raises good cholesterol and lowers bad cholesterol. It also contains beta-sitosterol that reduces the amount of cholesterol absorbed.
Watermelon can help you lose weight and lower your cholesterol levels.
Watermelon can fill you up without packing on the pounds. It’s a diuretic and can help lower your cholesterol levels. It contains a carotenoid called lycopene that is an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect the body from free radicals that have the potential to raise cholesterol levels. Whether you keep watermelon cubes in the refrigerator so you can grab a few when you’re hungry or keep watermelon juice ready to drink to lower your cholesterol.
- Other antioxidant fruits that can help lower cholesterol levels include berries. They’re loaded with antioxidants, no matter what type you choose. Berries help prevent the oxidation of LDL—bad–cholesterol, which can stick to the artery walls.
- Prunes do more than keep you regular, they’re also good for increasing the good cholesterol that helps your heart stay healthy and can reduce inflammation and act as an antioxidant. You can eat them plain or use them when cooking your favorite dishes.
- Have a glass of cranberry juice or add cranberries to your favorite salad or smoothie. They’re packed with healthy benefits that extend beyond urinary tract health. They can also help lower bad cholesterol levels.
- Have some grapes to reduce your triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Grapes contain pterostilbene. Pterostilbene affects the enzyme that controls blood fat levels, much like medications do.
For more information, contact us today at Team Worx Fitness
