Why cholesterol is bad for you
Cholesterol is a natural fatty substance that is found in the blood.
While a certain amount of cholesterol is needed in the body, having too much of it puts you at increased risk for a number of dangerous complications including heart attacks and strokes.
This is because the cholesterol can build up in the blood vessels, making it more difficult for the blood to flow through.
There are several factors that can contribute to having high cholesterol, including genetics, but most commonly it is caused by lifestyle habits such as a poor diet, not exercising enough, smoking and drinking alcohol.
Luckily making alterations to your diet can therefore help tackle high cholesterol.
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This includes cutting down on fatty foods, specifically saturated fats, like processed meats, cheese, butter and cakes.
The NHS also recommends upping your intake of fruits and vegetables to lower cholesterol.
One fruit in particular could be especially beneficial to those with raised cholesterol levels.
Pharmacist at Chemist Click Online Pharmacy, Abbas Kanani, spoke exclusively with Express.co.uk about okra – a green fruit that is cooked and eaten more like a vegetable.
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Abbas explained: “Some studies have suggested that okra, also known as lady’s fingers, may play a role in reducing cholesterol.
“It is commonly used in soups and stews and a thick, gel-like substance found in okra, called mucilage, can bind with cholesterol during digestion so it is passed from the body.
“Studies conducted on mice showed lower blood cholesterol levels after they were fed a high-fat diet containing okra powder.”
The study referenced by Abbas was published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry in 2014.
After feeding okra to obese mice it was found that both their cholesterol levels and blood sugar levels were reduced.
“Our results indicate that okra may serve as a dietary therapy for hyperglycaemia [high blood sugar] and hypertriglyceridemia- [high levels of fat in the blood],” the study concluded.
Okra is also packed full of important vitamins, Abbas said.
He continued: “Okra is rich in vitamins A and C, as well as antioxidants that help reduce the risk of serious health conditions such as diabetes, stroke and heart disease.”
However, he warned: “People with diabetes should be cautious when adding more okra into their diets, as it can also interfere with metformin, a medication often used to treat type 2 diabetes.”
Harvard Medical School also recommends okra as one of 11 types of foods that can lower low-density lipoprotein, or “bad” cholesterol.
This is due to the fact that okra is both “low calorie” and high in soluble fibre, it says.
The only way to be sure of your cholesterol is to get your levels tested. If you are concerned about your cholesterol levels you should speak to your doctor.
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