High cholesterol: The red drink that significantly lowers levels after ‘short-term’ intake
High cholesterol: Nutritionist reveals top prevention tips
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High cholesterol is when you have too much of a fatty substance called cholesterol in your blood. More specifically, it relates to the amount of LDL cholesterol in our blood. LDL cholesterol is branded the “bad” cholesterol because it collects in the walls of your blood vessels, thereby hiking your risk of heart disease.
Fortunately, you can intercept this process by making healthy dietary modifications.
According to a study published last year in the Journal of Medicinal Food, drinking pomegranate juice can produce this desired effect.
The objective of the study was to evaluate effects of a two-week consumption of dietary doses of pomegranate juice in overweight patients with dyslipidemia (the term for unbalanced or unhealthy cholesterol levels).
Twenty-four patients, eight males and 16 females, 40–60 years of age, with established overweight and dyslipidemia were randomly assigned into the intervention group, who consumed 300 mL of pomegranate juice daily for two weeks, or control group.
These results show that even a “short-term consumption” of dietary doses of pomegranate juice exerts beneficial effects in overweight patients with dyslipidemia, the researchers concluded.
What accounts for this effect?
Although it is unclear the exact mechanisms involved, the researchers posited that polyphenols may be responsible for the effect.
Polyphenols are compounds that you get through certain plant-based foods, such as pomegranates.
It is that polyphenols offer protection by improving the function of the inner lining of the heart and blood vessels.
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According to the Mayo Clinic, it’s thought that pomegranate juice might block or slow the buildup of cholesterol in the arteries of people who are at higher risk of heart disease.
What’s more, “pomegranate juice contains antioxidants at higher levels than do many other fruit juices, and it contains nearly three times as many antioxidants as green tea or red wine does,” it says.
Antioxidants are thought to provide several heart-protecting benefits, including reducing LDL cholesterol.
The Mayo Clinic notes that definitive conclusions cannot be drawn, however.
“Small studies seem to suggest that drinking pomegranate juice might lower cholesterol, but overall the evidence is mixed,” the health body reports.
General dietary tips
“To reduce your cholesterol, try to cut down on fatty food, especially food that contains a type of fat called saturated fat,” advises the NHS.
Saturated fat is found in:
- Meat pies, sausages and fatty meat
- Butter, lard and ghee
- Cream and hard cheese, like cheddar
- Cakes and biscuits
- Food that contains coconut oil or palm oil.
According to the NHS, exercise can also lower harmful cholesterol levels.
“Aim to do at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of exercise a week,” advises the health body.
Some good things to try when starting out include:
- Walking – try to walk fast enough so your heart starts beating faster
- Swimming
- Cycling.
Try a few different exercises to find something you like doing.
As the NHS points out, you’re more likely to keep doing it if you enjoy it.
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