10 Key Ingredients of Cholesterol Reducing Diet

• A cholesterol reducing diet is important for good cardiovascular health
• Common items like green tea, cayenne, niacin are some of the best ingredients for lowering cholesterol and improving heart health
• Taking supplements that contain guggulesterones, selenium, or CoQ10 would be a good idea as part of a low cholesterol diet

Having high levels of cholesterol is one of the danger signs of heart disease and can also increase your risk of developing a stroke or blood clots. Getting those numbers down is crucial for good health and a cholesterol reducing diet is a definite step in the right direction. Below are ten ingredients you should make sure are included in your diet.

10. Green Tea

You’ve probably heard good things about green tea already but here’s another one: it contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Because EGCG stops the intestines from absorbing saturated fat, which is the chief contributor of cholesterol, you’re going to start lowering the amount in your body. Plus, EGCG is a must for overall good cardiovascular health.

9. Guggulesterones

This resin from the Guggul trees found in Central Asia has been shown to be effective against both high cholesterol and atherosclerosis, which is one of the consequences of high levels of cholesterol in the body.

8. Cayenne

Some of the best ingredients to fight cholesterol are also the spiciest. Cayenne helps stimulate blood circulation and reduces blood thickness which is good if you are already having some arterial wall build-up.

7. Artichoke Leaf Extract

There are plenty of good reasons to take artichoke leaf extract for cardiovascular health. Studies have shown that it reduces cholesterol levels, plus cynarin found in the leaves is a powerful antioxidant that can prevent inflammation. Other compounds also help improve overall circulation.

6. Policosanol

Studies have shown that this compound, which is found in rice and sugar cane, can improve cholesterol numbers just as well as the statin prescription drugs that are on the market. Policosanol works on both total and LDL cholesterol, plus it improves blood circulation. You can expect to see results in as little as eight weeks.

5. Turmeric

If you’re starting a cholesterol lowering diet, make sure you have some turmeric on hand to spice up your food. Many Indian and Asian dishes already use this powerful ingredient to give their dishes some flavor but it also has antioxidant properties and can reduce inflammation which could put you at risk for a heart attack.

4. Red Yeast Rice

For more than ten centuries, Chinese medicine has included red yeast rice as a treatment for a wide variety of diseases and health problems. Today, Western studies have confirmed that red yeast rice can lower LDL and increase HDL cholesterol levels while also lowering total cholesterol in the body.

3. Niacin

Whether you call it niacin or Vitamin B-3, you’ll want to take some to help you improve your cardiovascular health. Here’s just a partial list of what it can do to improve your heart health: lower LDL, improve HDL, reduce inflammation, increase heart recovery after damage, and increase arterial diameter for improved blood circulation.

2. Selenium

Despite its numerous health benefits, most of us just don’t get enough selenium in our diets. If you are on a cholesterol reducing diet, however, consider adding a supplement. It can help form the compounds that will improve your cholesterol numbers while also helping with circulation and blood pressure.

1. Coenzyme Q10

Known as ubiquinone or CoQ10, this enzyme can help strength our heart, protect our cells from free radical damage, and prevent plague build-up on our arteries. We already produce this compound naturally but not enough to repair the damage we’ve done to our bodies over the years which is why supplements are recommended.

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.