Do vegan needs to worry about cholesterol?
Those who follow plant based diets i.e Vegan Foods are known to have lower cholesterol levels compared to those who eat animal products. According to Experts, for a food item to be edible cholesterol, it must come from an animal-derived source. Cholesterol is still important for certain bodily functions, so your body is able to produce everything you need.
If you want to lower your cholesterol, consult your doctor about adding extra plant-based foods to your diet.
Which Foods Helps Lowering Cholesterol?
If you have high cholesterol, there are a variety of plant-based foods that can help lower your levels, according to Experts.
Here are Vegan foods That Helps you Lowering Cholesterol
1. Oats, Barley, and other whole grains
Oats, or whole-grain, oat-added grains such as One Degree Organics Sprouted Oat O’s or Cascadian Farms Purely O’s, made from oats and barley, can help determine your cholesterol levels where they should be. Try getting a metal ovalmeal or overnight breakfast or use mixed oats to make vegan pancakes and healthy treats cooked like vegetable muffins or oatmeal cookies for breakfast.
You can also add whole grains to your diet by exchanging rich pasta with whole wheat bread, such as Bionature Whole Wheat Spaghetti.
2. Beans and legumes
Beans of all kinds are rich in soluble fiber, which means it takes the body longer to digest and helps you feel fuller, longer. Harvard Health recommends eating a wide variety of beans, including chicks, lentils, black-eyed peas, sea beans and kidney beans. Try whipping up a delicious chickpea curry in your weekly diet, or make a vegan lentil bread.
If you don’t like beans or creams, try using legumes made from products such as Banza Chickpea Pasta Shells or Explore Organics Edamame and Mung Bean Fettuccini.
Soy-based foods and soy-based products such as tofu, tempeh, and Silk Organic Soymilk are also effective in lowering cholesterol.
3. Peanuts
Eating two ounces of nuts daily, including walnuts, almonds, peanuts, and other varieties can lower your LDL cholesterol by 5 percent. They are also packed with other healthy nutrients. You can eat whole-grain nuts, or try nutritional milk such as walnut milk, peanut milk, or old almond milk.
4. Vegetables and Vegetable Oil
Expert recommends incorporating soluble fiber such as eggplant, okra, carrots and potatoes in your diet to help lower cholesterol. These include dark, leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, and collard greens.
According to Experts, substituting milk butter for liquid vegetable oils such as canola, sunflower, and safflower can help lower LDL.
5. Fruits
Pectin-rich fruits such as apples, grapes, citrus fruits, and strawberries can help lower LDL. Avocados are a rich source of monounsaturated fats and fiber, both of which help your body lower “bad” LDL and raise “good” HDL cholesterol.
6. Dark Chocolate
It may sound too good to be true, but research has shown that dark chocolate can help lower bad cholesterol, too. In another study involving adults who drank cocoa juice twice daily for a month, participants experienced lower levels of LDL and increased HDL. When choosing dark chocolate, look for a suitable trademark that contains at least 75-85 percent cocoa.
Also Read: 10 Vegan Foods For Healthy Hairs.