Diets to Reduce Cholesterol & Blood Pressure

Lowering cholesterol & blood pressure is important in maintaining good cardiac health, since both high cholesterol & high blood pressure increase the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Lowering cholesterol and blood pressure is relatively easy through diet modification.

Saturated Fats

Diets low in saturated fats will lower cholesterol. Saturated fats are found mostly in animal products like red meat, whole fat dairy and eggs.

Trans-fats and Sodium

Avoiding trans-fats completely will lower cholesterol.Similarly, diets low in sodium will help reduce blood pressure.

Mono and Polyunsaturated Fats

Eating more mono- and polyunsaturated fats will lower cholesterol. These can be found in olive oils and nut oils, respectively.

Complex Carbohydrates

Replace simple carbohydrates (e.g., white bread, sugar) with complex carbohydrates (e.g., beans, whole wheat) to lower your cholesterol.

Fiber

Diets high in fiber do the double duty of lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. Oat bran has been found to be particularly beneficial in doing both these.

Vegetables and Spices

People with diets rich in celery, onion, garlic, tomatoes and broccoli generally have lower blood pressure. Furthermore, basil, oregano, fennel, black pepper and tarragon contain compounds that lower blood pressure.