Why Fish Is One Of The Best Foods To Lower Cholesterol And Increase Heart Health
When it comes to choosing the best foods to lower cholesterol, fish should be top of your list. This is because the high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids contained in fish can help to reduce blood pressure, lower LDL cholesterol, increase HDL cholesterol, lower triglycerides and reduce the risk of blood clots. Any diet to lower cholesterol should look to include fish at least twice a week to get the true cholesterol lowering benefits. The best fish to choose for lowering cholesterol is fatty fish. These are usually cold water fish and the ones you should choose from are:
Salmon
Mackerel
Herring
Tuna
Sardines
Trout
The above fish are low in cholesterol and are very nutritious. As they are cold water fish, they are safer to eat than warmer water fish such as catfish. This is because cold water fish have less pollutants that lake fish. One of the other reasons why these fish are considered one of the best foods to lower cholesterol naturally is because they have a higher concentration of Omega 3 fatty acids. Now while crawfish, shrimp and other shellfish contain higher amounts of cholesterol, it is worth remembering that they are lower in saturated fat and total fat that most meats or even lean poultry. Did you know that 4 ounces of salmon gives you over 80% of the Omega 3 you need each day? This is why salmon is the most popular food to lower cholesterol. Now not everyone likes salmon, as some people prefer to eat cod or halibut. And for those that do, just so you know, 4 ounces of cod gives you around 15% of the Omega 3 you need each day, while 4 ounces of halibut will give you around 25% of the Omega 3 you need. The fish with the higher percentage of Omega 3 per 4 ounces are consider the best foods to lower cholesterol despite the benefits offered by other types of fish. How To Prepare Fish To Ensure You Reap The Health Benefits Of One Of The Best Foods To Lower Cholesterol When you choose fish as one of the best foods to lower cholesterol levels, you should always make sure that your fish looks fresh. It should have a bright and moist surface, with clear eyes, pink and spongy skin, and shiny and well-attached scales. Make sure the fish is kept cold and that it doesn’t have too much of a fish smell. When you store your fish, keep it well wrapped in the back of your refrigerator.Now as this is one of the key foods that lower cholesterol, you need to make sure that you extract every possible health benefit. When you prepare the fish, remove any excess fat. Choose poaching, grilling, broiling or baking as the method of cooking your fish, as these will remove a lot of the excess fat content. Don’t bread of fry your fish as this will decrease the effectiveness of the Omega 3 fatty acids. Not everyone loves fish, and if you are one of those people, you can still reap the benefits of one of the best foods to lower cholesterol by adding a high quality fish oil supplement to your daily diet. But remember, the same rules when selecting your fish oil supplement apply. The source of the fish used for producing the fish oil is of paramount importance. Fish can be served in a number of delicious and nutritious ways, from fish pie, to stir fry, to something as simple as a fish burger. Why not do yourself a favour and start adding one of the best foods to lower cholesterol to your daily diet as your arteries and heart will thank you for it!