Foods rich in HDL cholesterol, or that increase good cholesterol are ideal to enjoy good health and take care of our cardiovascular system.
These foods are fundamentally beneficial to take care of cardiovascular health, since by increasing our good cholesterol or HDL, they are useful to prevent bad cholesterol from being deposited in our arteries.
The HDL cholesterol, also known as good cholesterol, is considered a healthy fat that helps especially that referred to as LDL (or bad cholesterol) is not “stick” to the arteries and stagnate, which can lead to a narrowing which in turn increases the cardiovascular risk of the person.
Unlike what many people may think, cholesterol is essential for our body, since it is necessary for cell formation or neuronal activity, of course, always in the right measure.
So high cholesterol becomes a real health problem, increasing cardiovascular and coronary risk, among other related disorders or ailments.
But since HDL cholesterol is extremely beneficial in preventing LDL cholesterol from stagnating in the arteries, it is best to always keep in mind what the normal values of HDL cholesterol would be, to try to keep it at those levels considered optimal.
Hence, it may be useful to know which foods are rich in HDL cholesterol, which ultimately help increase the levels of good cholesterol in the blood.
Foods high in HDL cholesterol (or good cholesterol)
We must not forget that following a healthy lifestyle, practicing physical exercise and avoiding harmful habits such as smoking or eating foods rich in saturated fat, helps in itself not only to enjoy a healthy life, but also to increase HDL cholesterol levels.
However, choosing certain foods rich in good cholesterol is even much more useful and appropriate when you want to raise these levels.
Below we name the most interesting –and useful- in this sense:
- Blue fish: they are especially rich in omega 3 acids, a polyunsaturated fat that helps reduce both cholesterol and high triglycerides.
- Nuts: consumed in moderation (around 25 grams a day), they help to take care of our heart while reducing cholesterol levels.
- Olive oil: it is one of the healthiest oils that exist, the basic food of the Mediterranean diet. It is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids that help take care of our cardiovascular system.
- Fruits: avocado stands out above all, a food that although caloric, is tremendously heart-healthy.
- Vegetables and vegetables: such as broccoli and broccoli, which also provide essential nutrients for our body.
In addition to the indicated foods, we must not forget either the importance of foods rich in fiber, since they help to clean excess fat from our arteries.
