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How to Lower Your Cholesterol

Cholesterol 101: How to Lower Your LDL Cholesterol
By Michelle Dudash, RD

1. Why is it so important to watch our cholesterol levels?
- Heart disease as the #1 killer in America for both men and women
- Latest scientific evidence shows that people with even slightly elevated cholesterol still have an increased risk of heart disease over lifetime
- Cholesterol level is an indicator of heart health, which is why it is so important to get your cholesterol checked regularly by your doctor.
 
2. What foods are bad for my cholesterol?
- Overall, animal products like fatty meats, full fat dairy, shellfish and egg yolks
- Watch out for trans fat, which can be found in processed foods, fast food, and stick margarine
 
3. What foods can help lower the bad cholesterol?
- Overall, plant-based foods high in fiber, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains
- Especially foods high in soluble fiber like oatmeal, beans, and apples
- Healthy fats such as nuts and olive oil
- Fortified foods that contain plant sterols
 
4. There seems to be a buzz lately about getting plant sterols in the diet. How do they work?
- More than 140 clinical studies have shown that natural plant sterols actively remove LDL cholesterol, otherwise known as the bad cholesterol
- When eaten with a meal, plant sterols block absorption of the cholesterol we eat and help to lower our LDL cholesterol
- According to the FDA, 2 grams is the amount recommended per day to actively remove cholesterol by 10 percent and reduce your risk of heart disease by 20 percent
- The American Dietetic Association and the American Heart Association recommend plant sterols in conjunction with a “heart healthy diet”
 
5. How can we get plant sterols into our diets?
- There are small quantities in corn oil, nuts, grains and fruits and veggies
- You would have to eat over 14 T. of corn oil or 15 avocadoes to get the recommended 2g of plant sterols per day
- Luckily, fortified foods are available that contain higher amounts of plant sterols
 
6. What are some products at the grocery store that contain plant sterols?
- Promise Activ Super Shots is the first mini-drink of its kind that contains 2 grams of natural plant sterols in one 3-oz serving.
- At only 70 calories, this convenient drink is an easy and tasty way to get the recommended 2 grams of plant sterols per day to actively remove cholesterol by 10 percent and reduce your risk of heart disease by 20 percent
- Some other products that contain plant sterols include Thomas Hearty Grains English Muffins, Promise Take Control Buttery Spread, Cocovia Chocolate Covered Almonds


For more information please visit www.eatright.org