READ THIS NEXT: If This Happens to You in the Bathroom, Get Checked for Heart Failure. Cholesterol is a waxy substance formed in the liver, which helps protect nerves and build cell membranes. But too much of the wrong kind of cholesterol—that is, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol—can lead to a buildup of plaque in the arteries, spiking your risk of heart disease and stroke.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb However, not all cholesterol is bad for you. A second type of cholesterol—high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol—actually absorbs bad cholesterol and brings it to the liver for processing. The CDC explains that the liver then gets to work flushing the bad cholesterol and plaque buildup from the arteries, a process that helps lower your risk of a heart health episode. You can optimize this process and work toward better heart health by eating foods that include HDL cholesterol, but lower your LDL cholesterol, they say. READ THIS NEXT: Doing This at Night Hurts Your Heart, Experts Warn. There are several foods that can help to lower your “bad” LDL cholesterol, including oats, nuts, olive oil, avocados, fatty fish, and more. Additionally, there’s one thing you can drink that’s known to slash your LDL levels by up to 15 percent, according to the Mayo Clinic: orange juice fortified with plant sterols or stanols. “Plant sterols and stanols are naturally occurring substances that can help to block the absorption of cholesterol,” Elliott Torsney, RDN, a Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist, and Certified Diabetes Educator at Den of Fitness tells Best Life. Adding just two grams of sterol to your daily diet can have a positive effect, according to the Mayo Clinic. Plant sterols and stanols work in tandem to help limit how much “bad” cholesterol your body retains. “These naturally occurring plant compounds are similar in structure to cholesterol. When you eat them, they help limit the amount of cholesterol your body can absorb,” explains the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). “Plant sterols and stanols are found in an increasing number of [fortified] food products such as spreads, juices, and yogurts.” You can also get plant sterols and stanols from natural food sources. “Good sources include almonds, peanuts, and vegetable oils,” says Torsney. Unprocessed seeds, cereals, fruits, and vegetables are also known to contain sterols and stanols, the DHHS adds. For more health news sent directly to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
The Mayo Clinic notes that more research is needed to determine how consumption of sterols and stanols directly affect heart health, if at all. “It’s not clear whether food with plant sterols or stanols reduces your risk of heart attack or stroke—although experts assume that foods that reduce cholesterol do reduce the risk,” their experts write. Yet they say there’s little downside to adding sterols and stanols to your diet. “Plant sterols or stanols don’t appear to affect levels of triglycerides or of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the “good” cholesterol.” Speak with a doctor or nutritionist to learn more about how a diet rich in plant sterols or stanols could help to lower your cholesterol and put you on track for improved heart health. READ THIS NEXT: 4 Ways Your Legs Are Telling You That Your Heart’s In Trouble.
