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The following was written by Carrie Walco-Bowman courtesy of Low Cholesterol Meals & Foods That Help Lower Cholesterol (mightymeals.com).
When we talk about high cholesterol levels, we mean “bad” LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein). This type of cholesterol is bad at high levels because it can damage arteries, lead to heart disease and increase your risk for a stroke. So why do we have it at all? Our bodies produce all the LDL cholesterol we need to create hormones, vitamin D, and digestive fluids and it helps organs function properly. So, we do need it, but we don’t need to increase it. We can avoid high LDL levels by lowering our consumption of foods that contain high levels of saturated fats and trans fats. These fats cause our bodies to create more LDL cholesterol.
Try these tips to avoid or lower high levels of LDL cholesterol.
HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol absorbs the bad LDL cholesterol and then carries it to the liver, where it is flushed from our bodies. This is the cholesterol level we want to be a little higher. Foods containing high HDL cholesterol levels include olive oil, beans, legumes, whole grains, high-fiber fruit, fatty fish, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and nuts.
Plant-Based Food & Meals
“When people adopt a plant-based diet, their blood pressure comes down, their cholesterol levels plummet, and arterial plaque starts to go away.” 1
Plant-based meals can do wonders for your health and lowering cholesterol. MightyMeals is all about making it easier for people to live healthier lives and eat more plant-based meals, so they developed a vegetarian filter for the MightyMeals plant-based menu.
Skinless Lean Poultry
Not all poultry parts are the same when it comes to saturated and trans fats. Most of the fat found in poultry is stored under the skin, so go ahead and toss the skin out. Dark poultry meat is higher in saturated fat and cholesterol than white poultry meat – 49 mg higher in cholesterol and 1.2 g higher in saturated fat when comparing a chicken leg with a chicken breast.
Fatty Fish
Omega-3 fatty acids are another important healthy component that can help lower LDL cholesterol. They are found in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, albacore tuna, sardines and rainbow trout.
One of the newest MightyMeals that is already a fan favorite is the Salmon alla Vodka.
Lean Beef
“According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), lean protein sources have less than 10 g of total fat and 4.5 g or less of saturated fat per 100 g, or 3.5 ounces (oz).” 2
The MightyMeals Beef Bulgogi fits the USDA guidelines with 9 total grams of fat and 2.5g saturated fat. It also includes asparagus with potassium, which has been shown to help lower blood pressure.
The always-changing MightyMeals menu consistently offers these food categories and more! As a Coppermine Community Member, you get $100 off your first 4 MightyMeals orders at this link here.