List of foods to increase hdl

Get the full list of foods that are scientifically proven to increase HDL. Take your guide to your daily menu.

I want you to understand that getting to know the foods that increase hdl will help to prepare the dishes throughout the day. The foods that lower ldl may reduce hdl at the same time.

The list is prepared based on several studies carried out for this purpose that I will be showing to you too.

Curcumin (curry)

In one study carried out in Amala Cancer Research Centre, ten healthy volunteers received 500 mg of curcumin per day for 7 days. At the end of the study, the results showed an increase in HDL cholesterol level (29%), a decreased in total cholesterol (11.63%) and in lipid peroxides (33%).

Based on the above findings, why not to implement curry in your daily menu?

Olive oil

Olive oil is considered as the super food for the heart. So, according to Maria Covas, diets in which olive oil is the main source of fat can be helpful measure against a wide variety of risk factors for heart disease (Covas MI, Pharmacology Research).

Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat (MUFA), that's why in 2004 FDA permitted to put the claim on the olive oil labels: “the benefits on the risk of coronary heart disease of eating about two tablespoons (23g) of olive oil daily, due to MUFA in olive oil.”

The benefits do not lie only on MUFA, but to the antioxidants and phenolic components inside olive oil. According to one study carried out from EUROLIVE Project on three types of olive oils with different polyphenol content (low=2.7mg/kg; medium=164mg/kg; and high=366mg/kg), which were given to healthy male volunteers for 3 weeks at a dose of 25 mL/day.

The results shown that the higher polyphenolic content in the olive oil, the higher the increase of hdl levels. Extra virgin olive oil contains more polyphenolic content than other types; that's why it's the most reccommended.

Not only that. The results showed an improvement in LDL/HDL ratio and a decrease in LDL levels. Does it sound great for only two tablespoons a day? But do not exceed. Olive oil is high in calories. If you exceed its intake more than two tablespoons, than come problems with high calories.

Onions and dark chocolate

This doesn not sound the perfect match, but it is when it comes to increase hdl. Onions have been used since ancient times for various purpose.

Onions are rich in quercetin which is a strong antioxidant preventing thrombosis and lower blood pressure according to the American Heart Association. If you like their taste and drink the juice of one yellow or white onion, that can increase your hdl by 30 %, according to Dr. Victor Gurewich, director of the Tufts University Vascular Laboratory at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Boston. Meanwhile, red onion do non give the same effect.

Dark chocolate is another wonder of nature which may increase your “good” cholesterol. So, according to one study, 45 nonsmoking, healthy volunteers has been put in a chocolate regime for three weeks. They were advised to consume 75 g daily of either white chocolate (WC group), dark chocolate (DC group), or dark chocolate enriched with cocoa polyphenols (HPC group).

The research concluded that cocoa polyphenols may increase the concentration of HDL cholesterol, whereas chocolate fatty acids may modify the fatty acid composition of LDL and make it more resistant to oxidatvie damage.

And here we go. You have lots of alternatives to keep healthy. Go for nature. Keep fit. Stay firm.

Berries.

Cranberries- Bilberries- Lingonberries (like cranberries)- Raspberries- Strawberries- Chokeberries- Black currants.

Other food category

includes:

- Macadamia nuts

- Brewed green tea (avoid instant or pre-mixed bottles)

- Fish (even if taken as fish oil)

- Foods high in niacin (vitamin B3) play an important role to raise hdl cholesterol.

Remember: The above foods cannot raise hdl cholesterol alone. You must work on exercise, and other lifestyle changes to have more results.

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