Cholesterol-friendly Foods

Cholesterol is a wax-like substance found in our blood stream. The liver is responsible for the production of 2/3^rd of the cholesterol in our body, yet what you eat has a deep effect on your cholesterol level as the remaining 1/3^rd is obtained from our diet. This article includes recipe of cholesterol-cutting chutney, which is easy-to-prepare, tasty and healthy!

Why Cholesterol Can Be a Problem?

Most of the cholesterol that ends up narrowing your arteries and contributing to heart disease come from your diet mainly whole milk products and meat. Though we know cholesterol mostly as the “bad” guy, some amount of it is required by the body for functions such as maintaining cell membranes, insulation of the nerve fibres, manufacture of bile and vitamin D, and most importantly, for the production of steroid hormones, and sex hormones. But when the level of total cholesterol crosses 200 mg/dl it is a high-risk factor for inviting several health problems such as heart attack, stroke and arthrosclerosis.

Cholesterol-friendly Foods 

Healthy eating habits form the cornerstone of any cholesterol management plan. I am sure you have heard of oat bran’s power to lower cholesterol. It has a special kind of fibre called beta-glucan. It binds with cholesterol in your digestive tract and helps in its elimination. But, guess what! Oats are not the only source of beta glucan, barley has much more of this special cholesterol reducing fibre!

So, make chapattis out of barley flour if you want to lower your cholesterol count. Whole pulses such as rajma, Kabuli chana, green channa and black channa are other significant sources of beta-glucan. To incorporate oat bran in your diet, you can mix it with wheat flour in a proportion of 1:1 to make high-fibre chapattis with a cholesterol-cutting edge.

The above foods have significant cholesterol lowering properties. Include these in your daily diet to reduce your cholesterol count naturally.

Cholesterol-cutting Chutney

In my endeavour to bring about a balance between taste and health, I have tried to create a recipe that promotes a cholesterol-lowering effect.

You will need

• 50 gm coriander
• 20 gm mint
• Green chillies (as required)
• 8-10 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp flaxseeds
• 1 tsp isabgol
• Salt (as per taste)
• 1 tsp jeera
• 10 ml lemon juice
• Water as needed

Procedure: Put all the above ingredients in a blender and blend to make a fine paste.

Health benefits 

Now that you know how to prepare this yummy cholesterol-cutting chutney, let us look into the health benefits of each of the ingredients that go into its making!

Garlic

It is known for its amazing cholesterol-lowering power. Garlic helps clear your blood off cholesterol and also helps thin the blood, thus preventing blockages. The allicin found in garlic is s believed to be responsible for this effect. It also helps prevent constriction of blood vessels which in turn helps lower blood pressure. Along with the health benefits that garlic provides, it adds flavour to cholesterol-cutting chutney.

Isabgol

Also known as psyllium seed husk, it has several benefits. Firstly it helps in regulating the bowel movement by eliminating constipation. But what is more important is that it binds with cholesterol secreted in bile acids and excretes it before it is absorbed into the bloodstream. It’s already an approved health claim that 3g to 12g fibre from psyllium seed husk, when included as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce total cholesterol and LDL levels. Husk adds bulk to the stomach by absorbing water and keeps you full for a longer time, thus, in turn, reducing food intake. Additionally, it can also aid blood sugar management by helping the gradual release of glucose.

Flaxseeds

Known to the common man as alsi, it’s the best vegetarian source of omega-3 fats (alpha linolenic acid). Regular consumption of flaxseeds has shown significant reductions in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. In many studies, those consuming flaxseeds have compared well with those taking statin drugs for cholesterol reduction.

Omega-3 fats can help improve HDL levels and help reduce the pain and inflammation that is a significant factor in conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, migraine headaches and osteoporosis. Flaxseeds also contain lignans (fibre) that can lower cholesterol and help stabilise blood sugar levels in diabetics.

Coriander & mint

Fresh herbs in every Indian home! These are rich in chlorophyll, help digestion and provide a supply of fibre, which in turn can lower your cholesterol when taken in considerable amounts.

When you use food as medicine your body will benefit in more ways than one, making your visit the doctor fewer and further between. Just try it! If you have any queries, or would like to share your feedback n this healthy recipe, call on toll-free 1-800-843-0206!