==== ==== How To Lower Cholesterol While Eating Things You Love? Click The Link Below To Find Out And Get A FREE Cholesterol e-Cource! http://www.loweryourcholesterolguide.com/ ==== ==== Got high cholesterol? You may want to try adding foods that lower cholesterol to your diet before turning to prescription medications. In this article, we'll look at seven fruits that scientists have linked to lower cholesterol levels. Blueberries In 2004, researchers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported results of an animal study showing that blueberries were more effective in lowering cholesterol levels than the cholesterol medication, ciprofibrate. All hamsters in the study were fed a high-cholesterol diet, and one group received blueberry skins and another received the drug. The blueberry group had cholesterol levels 37 percent lower than the control group while the ciprofibrate group's cholesterol levels were 17 percent lower than the control group. Authors of the study attributed the cholesterollowering effect to a compound in blueberries called pterostilbene, which caused liver cells to activate a response that leads to lower cholesterol. Grapes & Wine Grapes also contain cholesterol-lowering pterostilbene, as well as resveratol, a similar compound that's been shown to have a role in reducing cholesterol. In 2008, researchers at Madrid University developed a juice from the skin and seeds of red grapes and instructed 34 human volunteers to add the concoction to their regular diet over a 16-week period. After this time frame, volunteers experienced a 14 percent drop in cholesterol levels and a five percent drop in blood pressure readings, according to a report in the journal, Nutrition. Wine derived from grapes is also being included in this list of foods that lower cholesterol. Reports have found two ingredients in wine that improve cholesterol: resveratol to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and ethanol, which has been shown to raise HDL (good) cholesterol. Apples The old saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," applies in the case of lowering cholesterol. Apples contain a good amount of pectin, which has been shown to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and has other benefits, including improving insulin resistance and boosting the immune system. One apple contains about 10 percent of the recommended daily fiber intake. Adequate fiber has been demonstrated to lower cholesterol naturally as the fiber helps cleanse cholesterol out of the digestive tract. Grapefruit Grapefruit have significant amounts of cholesterol-lowering pectin. A 2006 study by Israeli researchers found that eating one grapefruit daily for 30 days significantly lowered cholesterol, with cholesterol levels dropping some 15 percent. The study found red grapefruit lowered cholesterol more effectively than white grapefruit.
Oranges Besides containing significant levels of pectin, oranges are also at the top the list of fruits in the amount of plant sterols. A 2000 U.S. Department of Agriculture study found that plan sterols or phytosterols lower cholesterol levels significantly. Another component of oranges is limonin, which a 2000 research project found to have cholesterol-reducing properties. The peel and inner white pulp of an orange contains herperidin, which has been shown to lower cholesterol and high blood pressure in animal studies. Orange peels are also a source of polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs), which can naturally lower cholesterol more effectively than drugs, according to a 2004 study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Since eating orange peels is generally not palatable, you may want to grate some orange rind over salads or use them to add spice up tea, yogurt or other foods. Tart cherries An animal study conducted at the University of Michigan and presented at the 2008 Experimental Biology meeting in San Diego found that tart cherries are among the foods that lower cholesterol. Rats that were fed tart cherry powder and a high-fat diet resembling the typical American diet, had cholesterol levels 11 percent lower than animals fed the same high-fat diet without any cherry powder. The group that received the tart cherry powder also had lower blood sugar levels and less fat around the midsection. Researchers at the University of Michigan say they plan to conduct a human trial measuring the benefits of the fruit. Tart cherries are different from sweet cherries or bing cherries, which are usually eaten raw. Dried tart cherries can be found in supermarkets and are delicious. Avocado Although this is a high-calorie food, avocado has been shown to lower cholesterol naturally in numerous studies. Research conducted in Mexico that involved 45 participants showed that after eating avocado daily for one week, participants' total cholesterol dropped 17 percent and their HDL (good) cholesterol increased 11 percent. Avocados contain sitosterol, a nutrient that has been shown to lower cholesterol in more than a dozen human studies.
==== ==== How To Lower Cholesterol While Eating Things You Love? Click The Link Below To Find Out And Get A FREE Cholesterol e-Cource! http://www.loweryourcholesterolguide.com/ ==== ====