Be full of beans
Nutritious and cheap, beans contain a water-soluble fibre called pectin that binds onto cholesterol and shifts it out of the body before it causes trouble. In one study, men who ate one cup of cooked beans a day lowered their cholesterol by 20% in just three weeks.
Go fish
Fish oil supplements contain eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – dietary fats that take aim directly at high triglycerides and boost HDL (good cholesterol). They’re also potent blood thinners, so they prevent clotting and help to regulate heart rhythm.
Try tea
The tannins found in tea may help lower cholesterol. One study of people with mild high total cholesterol who drank five cups of black tea daily found that they had an average drop of five percent in total cholesterol and 11 percent in LDL.
Sip psyllium (ispaghula)
Fibre-rich psyllium seed husks lower cholesterol. In one study of men with elevated cholesterol, taking a teaspoonful of powdered psyllium in water three times daily lowered total cholesterol levels by an impressive 15 percent in eight weeks.
Add garlic
It contains organosulphur compounds that reduce the stickiness of human blood platelets, and reduce levels of unhealthy fats in the blood. It also appears to inhibit the manufacture of cholesterol in the liver and possibly increase the excretion of total cholesterol.
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