5 Low-Cholesterol Snacks

5 Low-Cholesterol Snacks

Produced naturally by the liver, a wax-like substance, the cholesterol is essential for producing hormones and vitamin D in your body. HDL and LDL are lipoproteins found in cholesterol. While HDL or high-density lipoprotein is the ‘good’ cholesterol that carries unwanted cholesterol from other parts of your body back to your liver for elimination. LDL or low-density lipoprotein is the ‘bad’ cholesterol. A high density of this in the body leads to buildup of plaque in the arteries in the heart, brain, or limbs. Serious health problems like blood clots, chest pain, heart attack, stroke, carotid artery disease, or peripheral arterial disease can arise because of high cholesterol accumulation.

If you are diagnosed with high cholesterol, you must take care to eat healthy foods to both increase HDL and reduce LDL levels in your body. Apart from the breakfast, lunch, and dinner, if you crave something to munch on between these meals, try the following guilt-free snacks.

Colorful mixed berries
Prepare an attractive bowl of fruit medley with organic fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, grapes, oranges, and grapefruits. Add in pieces of lime and a dash of honey for that irresistible snack. Berries contain antioxidants that help lower LDL levels. Citrus fruits like oranges and lime contain limonoid compounds that also lower LDL while helping slow down atherosclerosis of the arteries. All-in-all, a cholesterol-free super healthy snack.

Fresh avocado wrap
Monounsaturated fatty acid-rich avocados are a good snack option for those with high cholesterol. Take fresh large lettuce leaves. Pack it with thinly sliced avocado, tomato, and onion. Add a little Kalamata olives and pumpkin seeds, drizzle some fresh pesto sauce over it. Wrap, chew, and wolf down this fresh avocado wrap when hungry for a snack.

Fragrant cinnamon apple sticks
The aroma-inducing cinnamaldehyde compound in cinnamon and its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties help minimize the risk of heart disease by reducing levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in the body. The polyphenols and fiber in apples have the same effect on bad cholesterol and thus, a combination of these two ingredients is no doubt nutritious. Slice some organic apples, dust high-quality cinnamon powder over them, and enjoy a crunchy, refreshing snack.

Luscious papaya
The fiber in this superfood helps control blood pressure. Vitamins A and C-rich, papaya also contains folate and potassium. Cholesterol and fat-free papaya can be had as a snack in many different forms. Have green papaya as a salad, or the ripe one as fresh fruit, or add dried, unsweetened papaya chunks to your trail mix.

Flavorful herbal tea
The fruits, flowers, buds, leaves, barks, and roots of plants like peppermint, hibiscus, orange, lavender, ginger, chamomile, lemongrass, dandelion, rooibos, and cranberry are used for brewing herbal tea. These aromatic plants are rich in antioxidants that help lower high cholesterol.

It is, however, important that you consult your doctor before making changes to your diet. This is because certain foods might interact with the cholesterol medications you may already be having.