1. whole grains and oats – a five-year insulin resistance research showed that people whose diets contain the most whole grains “had the thinnest carotid artery walls and showed the slowest progression in artery wall thickness.”
2. Acai berry - a compound in Acai berry(pterostilbene) may help lower cholesterol as effectively as commercial drugs with no side effects.
3. Nuts – especially pistachios, walnuts and almonds - a Penn State study showed that eating pistachios significantly lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology showed eating walnuts after a high-fat meal might protect your heart. Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants in nuts work to reverse the arterial damage caused by saturated fats.
4. Avocados - the unsaturated fats in an avocado are heart-healthy, unsaturated fats can increase your levels of HDL (good) cholesterol.
5. Olives & Olive oil - the unsaturated fatty acids(good fats) in olives and olive oil protect against heart disease and diabetes.
6. Flaxseed oil - in a three-month study of 60 middle-aged men, those who took daily flaxseed oil supplements (with eight grams of the omega-3 fats, alpha-linoleic acid) experienced significantly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
7. Omega 3 Fish Oil - a study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found that people with type 2 diabetes who consumed high doses of fish oil over nine weeks lowered the size and concentration of several lipoprotein subclasses (cholesterol) in their bodies.
8. Yogurt with live active cultures (probiotics) - Vicki Koenig, MS, RD, CDN said “several studies have shown that the probiotics Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Lactobacillus Reuteri actually help lower cholesterol. They work by preventing the reabsorption of cholesterol back in to the blood stream.”
9. Pomegranate juice - a National Academy of Sciences study showed that pomegranate juice reduces cholesterol plaque buildup and increases nitric oxide production (nitric oxide helps reduce arterial plaque).
