Research shows that sweet potatoes can lower your LDL "bad" cholesterol, which may lower your odds of heart problems. Macular degeneration. Large amounts of beta-carotene and vitamin A, which are in sweet potatoes, can lower your chances of getting this eye disease, which is the most common cause of vision loss.
1. Sweet Potatoes. Sweet potatoes are not only delicious; it turns out they're a major source of soluble fiber, which is bad cholesterol's worst nightmare. Soluble fiber helps the body excrete cholesterol by binding to bile acids.
Potatoes are rich in soluble fibre, which can be consumed by high cholesterol patients without any confusion. Consuming potatoes not only maintains the cholesterol level, but the body also gets many health benefits.
In addition to potassium, sweet potatoes are also high in fiber, which can help improve heart health and lower blood pressure. Fiber helps to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood, which can contribute to high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems.
Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods
Oatmeal has 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.
People with kidney problems must avoid eating sweet potatoes because an improper functioning kidney cannot remove potassium from their body, causing high potassium levels that can be harmful to them. Sweet potatoes contain high amounts of oxalates that may increase the risk of calcium-oxalate kidney stones.
While both our experts say eating a sweet potato a day is certainly healthy, they don't recommend more than that, since there are plenty of other vegetables to enjoy too. “If you're eating more than one a day, you might want to consider varying up your food choices so you get a variety of nutrients,” Rizzo says.
These include eating less of foods high in saturated fat and more of foods rich in nutrients like beta carotene, vitamin C and potassium. Sweet potatoes are good sources of these three essential nutrients, making them a healthy choice for people trying to minimize plaque in their arteries.
Tomatoes are a significant source of a plant compound called lycopene, which reduces levels of LDL cholesterol. Research shows that the body absorbs more lycopene if the tomatoes are processed or cooked, so drink tomato juice and add tomatoes to your minestrone soup as well.
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.
Broccoli
Broccoli in particular is plentiful in soluble fiber, which does wonders for high cholesterol. Other cholesterol-busting vegetables to consider include spinach, Brussels sprouts and collard greens.
A recent study indicates that in addition to promoting good eye health, carrots may help to reduce blood cholesterol and, thus, reduce the incidence of plaque in arteries.
If your sweet potato is oozing, soft and squishy, discolored, smelly, or have a bunch of sprouts, it's time to toss. If there are only a few sprouts and the sweet potato is still firm you can cut the sprouted portion off, cook and eat right away, or you can plant it!
Boiling sweet potatoes retains more beta-carotene and makes the nutrient more absorbable than other cooking methods such as baking or frying. Up to 92% of the nutrient can be retained by limiting the cook time, such as boiling in a pot with a tightly covered lid for 20 minutes.
Consuming sweet potatoes in excess can result in Vitamin A toxicity which is manifested in skin rashes and headaches. Due to high fibre content, excess intake of sweet potatoes can result in bloating, stomach pain and diarrhoea.
Sweet Potatoes
A favorite in many holiday menus, sweet potatoes are a great source of potassium, which naturally helps to lower blood pressure by reducing the effects of sodium and tension in the blood vessels. Pack a double punch against high blood pressure when you use cinnamon to add flavor to this beloved dish.
Eating potassium-rich sweet potatoes helps promote a healthy heart. Higher potassium intake allows you to excrete more sodium lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk for heart disease according to the American Heart Association.
Fill Up on Fiber
Foods like oatmeal, apples, prunes, and beans are high in soluble fiber, which keeps your body from absorbing cholesterol. Research shows that people who ate 5 to 10 more grams of it each day saw a drop in their LDL.