TAKE CARE of your heart health is one of the most important things you can do for your body. Heart disease and high cholesterol are among the leading causes of death, and diet plays a big role in reducing your risk. While high cholesterol levels can be genetic, doctors say that diet makes a big difference. So if you’re looking for a simple way to improve your cholesterol levels, cardiologists recommend adopting a simple daily habit.
This habit refers to the consumption of fiber-rich snacks. Fiber is essential for heart health, but most people don’t get enough of it.
“Fiber, especially soluble fiber, binds cholesterol in the intestines and prevents it from being absorbed into the body,” cardiologist Dr. Elizabeth Klodas explains to EatingWell . Experts note that such foods can help lower LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol levels, as well as total cholesterol in the blood.
Fiber serves as food for intestinal bacteria that produce substances beneficial to health.
In addition to helping regulate cholesterol, fiber supports healthy weight maintenance and appetite regulation. “Fiber can create a feeling of fullness, which helps with portion control,” says cardiologist Matthew J. Bocchese, MD. He adds that fiber also affects hunger hormones, which reduces calorie intake and naturally promotes weight loss.
dr. Klodas points out that fiber serves as food for gut bacteria that produce substances beneficial to health, including GLP-1, a hormone that helps regulate appetite.
To reap the benefits of fiber, doctors recommend simple snacks like an apple and nuts, roasted chickpeas, vegetables with hummus, yogurt with raspberries, or oatmeal.
In addition, they recommend regular exercise, consumption of fatty fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and limiting the intake of saturated fats, sugar, and salt – habits that together contribute to heart health and keeping cholesterol under control.
Leave a Reply