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16 Foods That Lower Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a type of fat or lipid that flows throughout the body in the blood. Please note that lipids are insoluble in water, so they don’t mix with the blood. The human body produces cholesterol naturally, but it is also present in different types of foods.

It’s important to note that two different types of cholesterol can be found in the body. One of the cholesterol types in the body is the HDL cholesterol, also known as the “good cholesterol.” LDL cholesterol is the other type of cholesterol called “bad cholesterol.”

HDL helps in taking the excess cholesterol to the liver, where it is removed from the body. High levels of good cholesterol can protect against heart attacks. On the other hand, the bad cholesterol deposits cholesterol and fat molecules into the bloodstream. For this reason, it’s essential to consume foods that lower the presence of LDL cholesterol in the body.

Here are 16 foods that lower cholesterol:

Red Onions

Onions are very beneficial for cardiovascular health in general. These foods contain bio-active sulfur-containing compounds that help lower cholesterol levels and prevent the hardening of the arteries. Also, they are useful in the maintenance of a healthy blood pressure level.

According to a study from the British Journal of Nutrition, onions may help reduce cholesterol by lowering the body’s synthesis of the compound and incrementing the rate of conversion of cholesterol to bile acids. Please note that before consuming onions, it’s important to heat them. The same study shows that heated onions are more effective at reducing cholesterol than raw ones. [1]