Maintaining a healthy cholesterol level through exercise and diet is a key part of living as an older person. However, it can be challenging to know how to balance your diet to keep your cholesterol in check. You will want to be familiar with which foods are the best to consume if you have higher cholesterol levels. Read on to learn more about the cholesterol-lowering foods that older adults should add to their diet!
Fatty Fish
Fatty fish and salmon have been found to help reduce both the risk of heart disease and dementia. Research finds that these fish are a great source of good fats while being able to reduce levels of triglycerides. You can eat more fish such as sardines and herring as well.
Tea
Green tea comes with plenty of health benefits. An analysis of studies shows that green tea significantly lowers blood pressure. Green tea can decrease a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease and lower blood pressure. Black tea can lower blood lipid levels. A cup of tea a day can have major heart benefits, as long as you are not adding too much sugar.
Oats
Oatmeal is a good source of soluble fiber, which helps to lower your bad cholesterol levels. You can enjoy some oatmeal for breakfast in the mornings. Fresh fruit is the best addition to a bowl of oatmeal. You can add bananas to your meal as well to increase the nutrients in your oatmeal. Soluble fiber will prevent your body from absorbing too much bad cholesterol, thus keeping levels low.
Avocados
A recent study has found that eating an avocado per day can elevate good cholesterol levels while lowering the bad cholesterol level. No wonder so many people love eating avocados these days. It is not challenging to find ways to incorporate avocado into your daily meal. Avocados can be served with breakfast eggs and toasts, added to a salad or you can even eat them on their own. Do note that eating chips and guacamole may not have the same health benefits as corn chips are high in calories and sodium.
Red wine
Numerous studies have shown that red wine contains lots of antioxidants and many health benefits. The alcohol in red wine can increase good cholesterol in our body and it has the same antioxidants found in green tea.
Grape Juice
If you prefer something else than alcohol, grape juice is a great nonalcoholic alternative with the same high level of antioxidants.
Beans
Beans have high levels of soluble fiber, which binds and gets rid of cholesterol and its precursors before they seep into your circulation system. Our body needs a longer time to digest beans, thus you will feel full for a longer time after eating.
After reading about the cholesterol-lowering foods that older adults should add to their diet, you might want to stay in a senior living community where you can enjoy delicious and nutritious meals every day. Feel free to contact us for more information!
