Available evidence suggests that probiotic yogurt can significantly reduce total cholesterol and LDL-c in subjects with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia without a significant effect on HDL-c and triglyceride levels.
Greek yogurt has been connected to lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which can reduce your risk of heart disease.
Probiotics are a natural, safe option to add into your daily regime to maintain healthy cholesterol levels and contribute to heart health. Probiotics can influence our cholesterol levels by: Reducing the absorption of cholesterol from our food. Increasing cholesterol levels used in the body to make bile.
Keep cheese portions small and weigh them to reduce temptation. Using lower-fat cheeses – such as mozzarella, feta, cottage cheese or reduced-fat cheeses – will provide less saturated fat.
Any type of cheese made with nonfat or skim milk will have notably less saturated fat and cholesterol.
Cutting back on saturated fat (found in meat and dairy products) and trans fat (partially hydrogenated oils) can reduce cholesterol by 5% to 10%.
Our own trial also showed that Weet-Bix™ Cholesterol Lowering effectively lowered LDL cholesterol by up to 9% within 4 weeks. Overall, the study supported Weet-Bix™ Cholesterol Lowering as being an effective, easy and nutritious food for people who need to manage their cholesterol.
Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods
Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol. Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears.
The fiber and potassium in bananas can reduce the level of cholesterol and blood pressure. Banana is especially known as a good source of soluble fibre which will gives one a healthy body and good immune system.
Some reports have linked probiotics to serious infections and other side effects. The people most likely to have trouble are those with immune system problems, people who've had surgery, and others who are critically ill. Don't take probiotics if you have any of those issues.
Those taking the probiotic had LDL levels 11.6 percent lower than those on placebo after nine weeks. Furthermore, cholesterol esters were reduced by 6.3 percent and cholesterol ester saturated fatty acids by 8.8 percent, compared with the placebo group.
While coffee does not contain cholesterol, it can affect cholesterol levels. The diterpenes in coffee suppress the body's production of substances involved in cholesterol breakdown, causing cholesterol to increase. Specifically, coffee diterpenes may cause an increase in total cholesterol and LDL levels.
Reduce Risk of Heart Disease
Honey has been shown to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels by 6%, triglyceride levels by 11%, and potentially boost HDL (good) cholesterol levels.
“Chocolate doesn't increase cholesterol levels, but it doesn't decrease cholesterol levels either.” Still, cocoa — a major ingredient in chocolate — may prove to be the next frontier in health research, according to Kris-Etherton.
However, dark chocolate is a high-calorie food, containing about 150–170 calories per ounce. It also contains saturated fat, which may affect cholesterol levels. Research suggests the benefits of flavanols outweigh the risks of higher cholesterol. But, remember, chocolate is a treat.
Unfortunately, dark chocolate also contains saturated fats which do raise cholesterol.