Cholesterol Lowering Foods

The following foods and substances may help combat high cholesterol. Although they’ve not undergone extensive studies, initial research has been promising.

1. Tea – Or more precisely, the tannins found in it, may help control cholesterol. One study found that people who habitually drank tea on a high-cholesterol diet had blood cholesterol levels within the normal range.
2. Lemongrass oil – A common flavoring in oriental cooking, lemongrass oil lowered cholesterol by more than 10% in one study. It may work by interfering with an enzyme reaction and inhibiting the formation of cholesterol form simpler fats.
3. Spirulina – A protein-rich form of algae often sold in powdered or tablet form, Spirulina reduced both total cholesterol and LDL levels in Japanese volunteers with high cholesterol who took seven 200-milligram tablets after every meal.
4. Barley – Long considered a healthful high-fiber grain, barley may have the same cholesterol-lowering potential as oats. In animal studies, two chemical components of barley lowered cholesterol levels by 40%.
5. Rice bran – This fiber may prove as effective as its cousin, oat bran. Preliminary studies with hamsters showed that rice bran reduced cholesterol by more than 25%.
6. Activated Charcoal – Finely ground, this substance, which is often taken to alleviate gas, may latch onto cholesterol molecules in the body and escort them safely out. In one study, patients had a 41 percent drop in LDL levels after taken 1/4 ounce of activated charcoal three times a day for four weeks.
7. Almonds and Walnuts – Eating a handful of walnuts or almonds, may reduce your risk of heart disease. Almonds not only taste good, they can lower your cholesterol, especially the harmful LDL or bad cholesterol. Walnuts are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Some studies showed that polyunsaturated fat might help lower bad cholesterol (LDL) while leaving good cholesterol unchanged. Almonds and some other nuts appear to have a similar effect.
8. Carrots – Try  adding carrots to your diet. A study in Scotland found that individuals who ate 2 raw carrots every morning for 3 weeks experienced an 11 percent drop in cholesterol. Carrots contain calcium pectate, a soluable fiber that lowers cholesterol by helping the digestive system flush cholesterol out of the body.
9. Grapefruit – These citrus fruits have significant amounts of cholesterol-lowering pectin; 60 to 70 percent of the dietary fiber in citrus fruits is pectin. A 2006 study by Israeli researchers found that eating one grapefruit daily for 30 days reduced cholesterol approximately 15 percent. The study found that red grapefruit lowered cholesterol more effectively than white grapefruit.
10. Olive oil – Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats which are reckoned to prevent the absorption of cholesterol by the body. This oil is a fruit-juice, which is cold pressed olive juice and olives are a fruit. Olive oil lowers bad cholesterol (LDL) but doesn’t lower good cholesterol (HDL). Olive oil compounds also increase enzymes that block activation of carcinogens and improve their removal from the body. These compounds appear to slow development of cancer cells and increase their self-destruction.

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