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Updated On Jul 2024
Updated On Jul 2024

Top 10 Foods To Increase HDL: Svasth Rahana Va Sukhee Rahana

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Foods To Increase HDL

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Dr Priyanka Paul

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Foods To Increase HDL is the most searched question on the internet today. Why?

Firstly, let’s understand that total cholesterol is made up of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglycerides. Because it transports extra LDL cholesterol and triglycerides from your arteries to the liver for removal, HDL is like a natural vacuum for cholesterol.
While most people focus on lowering bad LDL cholesterol, you should also keep an eye on your good HDL cholesterol levels. Making dietary changes is the first line of defense for anyone looking to increase HDL cholesterol.
Following a whole-food-focused, healthy-fat diet plan, such as the Mediterranean diet, helps to lower total cholesterol by increasing HDL. Although increasing HDL levels through diet alone are possible, the best results will come from combining it with exercise.

Although, all these ways. Let’s look into foods to improve HDL cholesterol.

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What Is HDL Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance that exists in all of your cells. Your liver produces some cholesterol, and you obtain more from animal foods such as meat and dairy. Some cholesterol is required for your body to function properly, but high levels of cholesterol in your blood can increase your risk of heart disease.

Lipoproteins are special proteins that transport cholesterol through your bloodstream. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is a beneficial lipoprotein that binds to cholesterol in the blood and transports it to the liver, where it is excreted.

That is why HDL is often referred to as “good” cholesterol: A lot of it can help you have healthier cholesterol levels and protect your heart.

How Can You Increase Your HDL Levels?

Eating the right foods and limiting your intake of saturated fat can help lower your LDL levels. This can improve your overall HDL/LDL ratio and lower your risk of heart disease.

Healthy HDL levels range between 40 and 60 mg/dL, but if you want to be a healthy heart, along with Foods To Increase HDL, aim for more than 60.

Top 10 Foods To Increase HDL

What exactly is a cholesterol-friendly diet? Limiting your intake of unhealthy fats, such as saturated and trans fats, is one key to improving your HDL-to-LDL ratio. However, eating the right Foods To Increase HDL.

Here Are 10 HDL Foods To Try.

1. Whole Nuts Foods To Increase HDL

Walnuts are high in polyunsaturated fats, which are heart-healthy fats that help improve your total cholesterol ratio. If you don’t like fish, there’s good news: walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids as well. Almonds (and other nuts) are high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, which can help lower your total cholesterol ratio.
They’re also high in phytosterols, which are plant compounds that are structurally similar to cholesterol and help prevent cholesterol absorption in the gut.

Find out more about the nutritional benefits of cashew nuts.

2. Olive Oil

High in monounsaturated fats, which are good for your heart. A Mediterranean-style diet high in olive oil can improve important HDL cholesterol functions such as sweeping excess cholesterol out of the blood vessels of the heart and keeping them open. Olive oil lowers the risk of heart disease more than any other monounsaturated fat. It also raises HDL cholesterol due to its high polyphenol content.

3. Seed Foods To Increase HDL

Chia, flaxseed, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds are high in protein, omega-3s, fiber, and minerals that are beneficial to the heart. Ground flaxseeds can help you lower your total and LDL cholesterol levels.
This is accomplished by stimulating HDL particles to engage in a reverse cholesterol transport mechanism, which transports excess cholesterol to the liver for redistribution or removal.

Did you know? Chia Seeds are also beneficial for weight loss. Read more about it today!

4. Fatty Fish Foods To Increase HDL

Fatty fish and fish oil supplements are high in omega-3 fats, which help to reduce inflammation and raise low HDL cholesterol levels. Eating fatty fish 2-3 times per week improves your total cholesterol ratio noticeably. Among the best fatty fish for increasing, HDL levels are salmon, herring, sardines, mackerel, and trout. They also benefit your heart health in other ways, such as lowering blood pressure and lowering your risk of dangerous blood clots.

5. Cocoa And Dark Chocolate

Yes! sahi pakde hai.

Both cocoa and dark chocolate contain compounds that can help you lower bad cholesterol and achieve a healthier total cholesterol level. How? Both of these HDL-rich foods appear to help prevent LDL cholesterol from oxidizing, which can increase the risk of heart disease. The key to reaping the benefits is to consume cocoa and dark chocolate in moderation.

Instead of a sugary hot chocolate with whipped cream, mix cocoa powder into your oatmeal or yogurt in the morning. If you choose dark chocolate, make sure the cocoa content is at least 75% and limit yourself to one ounce.

Ever tried dark chocolate for weight loss?  Continue reading to find out more about this exotic chocolate!

6. Fruits High In Nutrients

Avocados’ monounsaturated fatty acids lower LDL while increasing HDL. A 2018 study found that eating one avocado per day for five weeks while following a moderate-fat diet improved total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and HDL. Fruits high in fiber, such as apples, pears, and oranges, are the best foods to increase HDL.

7. Veggies High In Fiber Foods To Increase HDL

You already know how kales are an HDL cholesterol rich foods, but here’s another reason to add it to your grocery list. Dark leafy greens can bind to bile acids, which may help your body remove more bad cholesterol (and get your HDL-to-LDL ratio in a healthier place). This benefit could be attributed to lutein, an antioxidant that has been shown to prevent cholesterol from sticking to artery walls.

8. Whole Grains

To balance LDL, HDL, and triglycerides, a varied diet must include whole grains. Oatmeal and barley make a filling breakfast porridge and contribute to the recommended 3 grams of beta-glucan per day for heart health. Try whole wheat banana pancake for a healthy start

9. Soy Products Foods To Increase HDL

In adults with normal cholesterol levels, adding 40 g of soy protein per day to a diet can raise HDL cholesterol. Choose minimally processed soy products like tofu, tempeh, or miso.

Soya Chunks Protein Foods To Increase HDL: 7 Amazing Health Benefits To Known

There are many plant-based protein sources for vegetarians such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, grains, and seeds. And one such good, plant-based dish is soya chunks of protein. So, let us learn more about soya chunks of protein in detail.

10. Green Tea

It’s high in catechins, a type of antioxidant that has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and overall cholesterol levels. And it appears that the more you drink, the greater the benefits. People who drank five cups of green tea per day were 26% less likely to die of cancer.

Best Green Tea For Weight Loss: Does It Really Work? [Yes/No]

Yes, it is helpful in weight loss but it is also important to take an appropriate diet with it. Apart from helping you lose kilos, there are also other benefits of green tea. But do you know which is the best green tea for weight loss? If not, now you will.

Physical Activities To Boost HDL Cholesterol Levels

It’s something we’ve all heard before. Regular exercise is important for heart health and can raise HDL cholesterol levels. Running, walking, biking, and swimming, as well as moderate weight training, are all excellent ways to increase good cholesterol levels. Along with HDL food sources to increase HDL cholesterol levels, let’s take a look at how these 5 physical activities will help increase your HDL levels.

1. Go For A Nice Jog

If your joints are in good shape and you enjoy jogging, you’re in luck because this is an excellent exercise for lowering cholesterol and weight management. But don’t think you have to race. A few miles of easy jogging will be good for lowering cholesterol than a fast sprint around the block.
Long-distance runners improved their HDL cholesterol levels significantly more than short-distance runners, they also saw better blood pressure improvements.

2. Go For A Brisk Walk.

The question of whether walking is as good as running for cardiovascular health has long been debated. Walking is often a much better exercise for protecting joint health, especially as we get older. People who exercised with the same amount of energy, whether walking or running, saw similar results. The advantages included a lower risk of high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

3. Cycling

Cycling uses roughly the same amount of energy as jogging, but it is gentler on your joints. That is crucial for many people as they age. Hips and knees are particularly vulnerable to arthritis, and we must all keep an eye out for them. If you’re experiencing pain in these joints, cycling may be a better option than running.

4. Swimming 

Probably the most beneficial aerobic exercise for your joints. Swimming was compared to walking in a 2010 study of women aged 50 to 70 years. Swimming outperformed walking in terms of body weight, fat distribution, and LDL cholesterol levels.

5. Weight Lifting

So far, we’ve mostly talked about aerobic exercise. It is the most commonly recommended type of exercise for lowering the risk of heart disease. However, some research suggests that resistance training is also extremely beneficial for people who have high cholesterol. Those who engaged in resistance training were able to clear LDL from their bloodstream faster than those who did not.

6. Perform A Few Yoga Poses

After all of this talk about aerobic exercise and weight lifting, it may seem strange that yoga should be on the list. After all, the majority of yoga is stretching, right? But, definitely, yoga is the best stretching exercise when it comes to cholesterol side effects hitting your body.

Asthanga Yoga: A Mindful Practice For Overall Well-Being 

It’s time to roll out your yoga mat and learn the blend of physical and mental activity that has enchanted yoga practitioners worldwide for thousands of years. To enjoy the benefits of yoga, you don’t need to be an expert. Yoga can calm the mind and strengthen the body regardless of age, weight, or level of physical fitness.

Lifestyle Changes

Other lifestyle changes, in addition to exercise, can help you increase your HDL levels. These are some examples:

  • Quitting smoking: This can increase HDL cholesterol levels by up to 10%.
  • Weight loss: For every 6 pounds lost, HDL levels may rise by 1 mg/dL.
  • Choosing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated: Fats found in olive, peanut, and canola oils, as well as nuts, fish, and other omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods.
  • Moderate alcohol consumption: Women should limit their alcohol consumption to no more than 3-5 drinks per week, according to new research. For men aged 65 and under, no more than two drinks per day are recommended.

Mehak Weight Loss Progress: An Inspiring Story Of A Mom

At Fitelo, we are always motivated by the success stories of individuals who overcame all obstacles to achieve their goals. Mehak, a mother, lost 34 kg and more than 15 inches in 6 months. Check out how.

Finally, Some Words Of Wisdom

Higher HDL cholesterol levels are linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Along with Foods To Increase HDL, regular exercise is one way to boost HDL levels. Exercise appears to be the most important factor in successfully elevating HDL with exercise. 

Fun Fact

Did you know? Digestive biscuits or the very known Good Day biscuits are said to affect your cholesterol levels. Often in advertisements, we see that digestive biscuits are high in fiber, but in reality, they are bad for your health.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How Can I Increase My HDL Levels Naturally?

Ans. Aside from helping weight loss, increased physical activity can lower triglycerides, the most common type of fat in the body, while increasing HDL levels. With as little as 60 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, benefits can be seen.

Q. How Can I Raise My HDL Levels Quickly?

Ans. 5 Ways to Improve Your HDL Cholesterol

  • Get moving. Physical activity can help raise your HDL levels.
  • Get rid of any excess weight.
  • Cholesterol levels are high.
  • Choose healthier fats.
  • Less alchohol.
  • Quit smoking.

Q. Do Eggs Improve HDL?

Ans. After 6 weeks of an increased egg diet, serum HDL cholesterol increased by 10% (P 0.05) and total cholesterol increased by 4% (P 0.05). Thus, adding eggs to your diet is beneficial.

Q. Which Indian Foods To Increase HDL Cholesterol Help?

Ans. Dals and beans are staples in most parts of India. As a result, including it in your diet on a regular basis is an excellent way to boost HDL cholesterol. Chickpeas, rajma, soybean salad, masoor dal, Arhar dal, moong dal, and chana dal are excellent HDL cholesterol boosters.

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Contact Us Today

We’re never leaving you hanging with doubts, queries, as well as confusing questions. We understand how all this information gets really overwhelming as well as a little confusing on your way to a healthy lifestyle. Hence, you can always contact us at any time as our experts are here to guide you 24/7. Also, we will help you achieve your weight loss goals.

Disclaimer

This blog post was written to help you to make healthy and better food choices altogether. So, be aware and take care. The important thing to consider is your own health before starting a diet that is restrictive. Always seek advice from a doctor/dietitian before starting if you have any concerns.

Eat Healthy, Live Healthy as well as Enjoy a long happy life.

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