1️⃣Eat a Healthy Dietary Pattern. Mostly vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, and legumes, and thus naturally low in saturated fat, are all components of healthy dietary patterns shown to reduce total and LDL cholesterol. E.g. Portfolio, Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) dietary patterns 🥗🥦🥕🥒🌽🥔🍆🍅🍌🍓🍇🍎🍊
2️⃣Have 30-45g nuts daily 🌰🥜
How? Unsaturated fats can mediate lipid metabolism gene expression, and plant sterols have a similar structure to cholesterol, competes for absorption, and reduces blood cholesterol.
3️⃣Have 30-45g seeds daily e.g. flaxseeds 🥄
How? Similar to walnuts, the shorter -chain-omega-3s (alpha-linolenic acid) can be converted to long-chain-omega-3s, may increase LDL cholesterol receptors and reduces blood cholesterol.
4️⃣Have ≥130-150g (≈1 cup) legumes daily.
How? Viscous soluble fibre binds to bile, is excreted, and blood cholesterol is used to synthesise more bile. Plant sterols compete with cholesterol for absorption.
5️⃣Have 15g viscous soluble fibre daily e.g. psyllium, oats, bran, barley, legumes, seeds, vegetables, fruits 🥄🥣
How? Viscous soluble fibre binds to bile, hinders reabsorption, bile is excreted and the liver uses blood cholesterol to synthesise more bile.
6️⃣Have 2-3g plant sterols/stanols daily e.g. fortified margarine, milk, cereals
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How? Have a similar structure to cholesterol, competes for absorption, and reduces blood cholesterol.
7️⃣Limit discretionary foods e.g. replace processed meats, pastries, biscuits with fish, nuts, avocado 🐟 🥑
How? Saturated fats can hinder LDL cholesterol receptors that clear LDL cholesterol from the blood and trans fats can stimulate cholesterol synthesis.
Hope you found this useful! 😊
I help individuals develop personalised plans to eat healthily to achieve their heart and metabolic health goals 😍
P.S. There are more potential mechanisms and research is ongoing.
To learn more about how LDL increases the risk of heart disease, read my previous post. Follow me to stay connected 🤩
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