Foods That Help HDL Levels
HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein, and it is also known as "good" cholesterol. When fighting high cholesterol, you want your LDL (bad) levels to be low and your HDL levels to be high. According to the American Heart Association, HDL cholesterol is believed to carry LDL cholesterol away from the arteries where it can cause heart disease or blockages. Just as you can cause a rise in LDL levels with poor food choices, you can also increase HDL levels with smart food choices.
Fatty Fish
Fatty fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are well known to benefit heart health. One way they do this is be assisting in regulating cholesterol levels. The July 1, 2004, edition of "American Family Physician" reports that omega-3s not only raise HDL levels but also lower the blood's triglyceride levels by stopping the production of cholesterol and triglycerides in the liver. In the study, 4 g per day of omega-3 were consumed. A 3 oz. serving of wild Atlantic salmon contains 2.2 g of omega-3 fatty acids, making it an excellent choice for cholesterol reduction. Other fatty fish include tuna, mackerel, herring and lake trout.
Mushrooms
Along with omega-3 , another nutrient that raises HDL cholesterol levels is niacin, also known as nicotinic acid. As a treatment for raising HDL, niacin is available in prescription form from your doctor. However, if your levels are not so low that you require a prescription, your best option is to add niacin containing foods to your diet.
One of the best food sources is mushrooms, particularly portabella mushrooms. Nutrition data from the United States Department of Agriculture states that 1 cup of diced, raw portabella mushrooms contains 3.9 mg of niacin, or 19 percent of the recommended daily intake (RDI). While an entire cup of mushrooms may be too much for you to consume at one time, adding mushrooms to salads and meals is a great way to increase your consumption of niacin. All mushroom types contain a fair amount of niacin, so if portabella mushrooms are not to your liking, increase your consumption of raw, white mushrooms. Add them to your fish dinner, and you will have done yourself a double favor. Not only are you getting omega-3s to raise HDL levels; but that same 3 oz. serving of salmon offers 8.6 mg of niacin, which is a whopping 43 percent of the RDI.
Garlic
Garlic has been found to be a powerful food for regulating cholesterol levels. A study in the October 2006 issue of the "Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences" shows that when subjects consumed 5 g of raw garlic cloves twice a day, for 42 days, total cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels were greatly reduced, but even more significant was the raising of the blood's levels of HDL. Interestingly, when garlic consumption was stopped, cholesterol levels rose again, and HDL levels dropped.
While the amount of garlic in the study was 5 g, twice a day, the average garlic clove is 3 g. To reap the benefits that were noted in the study, enjoy a clove and a half, two times per day. If you can't bear the thought of eating plain garlic, chop it raw and put it on your pasta, salad or in a bowl of chili or soup. If you are struggling with low HDL levels and want to avoid taking medication, you may want to experiment with ways of consuming raw garlic until you find one you enjoy.
Tags: cholesterol levels, fatty acids, omega-3 fatty, omega-3 fatty acids, portabella mushrooms, your levels,