For example, the link between oat bran and the amount of cholesterol in the blood is one of the most recent discoveries, indicating that specific health problems can be fought with the help of the food. Science today confirms what ordinary people have been saying for centuries.
About 40 grams of cooked oat bran per day can lower the concentration of low-density lipoprotein ("bad cholesterol") by 85 percent in 20 percent of the population. This is the type of cholesterol that contributes to the narrowing and clogging of arteries. Slightly more slowly, bran increases the concentration of useful high-density cholesterol ("good cholesterol") by 15 percent, which removes harmful cholesterol from the blood.
One apple a day
Surprisingly, some foods work similarly or the same as drugs to lower high cholesterol.
A balanced diet, relatively low in saturated fat and cholesterol—combined with regular exercise—is the best strategy against heart disease.
Chemical substances that can lower elevated cholesterol are found in apples, barley, carrots, eggplants, olive oil, skim milk and yogurt.
In one experiment, 30 middle-aged men and women ate 2 or 3 apples every day for a month. The result was: apples lowered blood cholesterol in 80 percent of the subjects. In half of them, the reduction was more than 10 percent. "Good cholesterol" (HDL) increased, while "bad cholesterol" (LDL) decreased.
Grapefruit also contains a remarkable substance that lowers cholesterol. A one percent reduction in blood cholesterol levels reduces the risk of heart disease by 2 percent.
Similar benefits are provided by beans. Soy proteins also have a strong effect on high cholesterol. People who eat meat should replace half of their animal protein intake with plant protein.
Raw red onion and garlic have an effective effect on raising "good cholesterol" and lowering "bad cholesterol". Cooking with enjih reduces its effect.
Eat everything from the sea
No doubt, you have already heard that oysters and other edible sea shells and crustaceans are not good for the cardiovascular system, because they raise blood cholesterol. Forget it. Low-fat seafood actually lowers "bad cholesterol" (LDL).
The Greenland Eskimos eat seal and whale meat and fish, and most of that food is rich in fat. However, Eskimos rarely suffer from heart disease. Fish oil in their diet in a certain way overcomes the unfavorable effects of food rich in fat, reducing the risk of chronic diseases. After the body's enzymes break down fish oils, chemical compounds are formed that act similar to aspirin, anti-inflammatory drugs, anti-clotting drugs, and anti-hypertensive drugs.
Not all fish have large amounts of these beneficial oils. Cold sea fish are richest in them: herring, mackerel, salmon and tuna.
The development of science points to the therapeutic power of food. We know more and more about how including certain foods in a well-balanced diet can help control cholesterol in the body.
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