Top snacks for lowering cholesterol levels

Top snacks for lowering cholesterol levels

For a person with high cholesterol, every bite during meals and in-between meals counts. Although you may think that cutting out snacks is the way to lower your cholesterol levels, it is actually important to eat at regular intervals to normalize your blood sugar levels and keep your metabolism moving throughout the day. Snacking can actually be a great way for you to include foods that may help lower your cholesterol.

However, you do need to choose your snacks wisely so that your high cholesterol levels are lowered. You may feel stuck with tasteless choices when it comes to snacks, as there are quite a few healthy options for you. Herein, we discuss some delicious and healthy snacks that are great choices for those with high cholesterol:

1. Popcorn
Considered whole grains, both corn and popcorn are snacks that are high in fiber, low in cholesterol. Popcorn actually has much more fiber content in it than that of whole wheat bread or brown rice. This cholesterol buster is also a low-calorie snack, but it needs to be prepared properly and eaten in moderation. Popcorn serves as a great snack for people with high cholesterol, but you will have to skip the butter and salt. A dash of olive oil and some parmesan cheese can be substituted instead of the butter and salt, thereby making it a healthier snack.

2. Nuts
If you are on the lookout for snacks that can help lower that high cholesterol of yours, then nuts are a great snack option. Replacing the artery-clogging saturated fat with healthy, monounsaturated fat-rich almonds not only lowers your LDL (bad cholesterol), but it also prevents LDL from oxidizing. Walnuts are also another great snack option for people with high cholesterol. However, you do need to stick to just eating a few pieces of these nuts, as they are high in calories.

3. Veggies with hummus
Vegetables are, simply put, the finest that mother nature has to offer. They are full of fiber and their snacks good for you if your cholesterol levels are on the higher side. They are also low in fat, sodium, calories and when served with hummus, making a great snack that can help lower your cholesterol.

4. Fiber-rich oatmeal
Although oatmeal makes a very good breakfast, it can be eaten as a snack as it can help lower your cholesterol. Oatmeal is enriched in a specific soluble fiber that soaks up cholesterol and helps to move it through your digestive system without getting absorbed into the body. Further, this fiber also links with the acids in the bile to aid in excretion, thereby forcing your liver to produce more bile, which helps in lowering your LDL cholesterol.

5. Fruits
Satisfy your sugar craving with fruit instead of reaching out for a candy bar. This helps lower your cholesterol as fruits are rich in pectin, a type of fiber that can decrease your LDL levels.

There are a lot of great options for snacks available for people who want to lower their cholesterol levels. Apart from the ones mentioned above, there are many healthy snacks that can be eaten by those with high cholesterol.