Here are some simple tips:

• Dried beans: a magical food!

Like other legumes, it is a natural, economical, readily available, effective and safest remedy against cholesterol. They contain, at least, six anti-cholesterol agents, the most important of which would be their soluble fiber.

• Oats: The amazing powers of fiber!

To lower your cholesterol, add oats to your diet.

This cereal does not only act on LDL cholesterol, it also contributes to increase HDL cholesterol.

• Again: garlicand onion.

Ideally, half a raw onion and a clove of garlic should be consumed daily. These two condiments seem to have a beneficial effect on raising the level of HDL in the blood.

• Olive oil and flaxseed oil work wonders!

The benefits of olive oil, flaxseed oil and other omega-3 rich oils on arteries and cholesterol cannot be overstated. In three ways:

- by increasing the level of HDL,

- These oils are more effective than the low-fat diet usually prescribed by doctors to fight high cholesterol,

- they neutralize the action of "bad cholesterol" and at the same time reduce its destructive effects on the arteries.

• Almonds, walnuts and avocados

They are especially rich in monounsaturated fats known to lower cholesterol and defuse the oxidation of LDL lipoproteins.

• Vitamins C and E

Vitamin C acts as a "bodyguard" for HDL, the valiant lipoproteins that clean your arteries of potentially harmful elements. Vitamin C, like vitamin E, also has the property of inhibiting the transformation of LDL cholesterol into a toxic substance.

• Vitamins and antioxidants in general.

By blocking free radicals, antioxidant vitamins prevent the transformation of LDL cholesterol into a toxic and dangerous substance. It takes very little to build a strong barrier against free radicals. A few milligrams of vitamin C per day (two large oranges) provide tissues with enough ammunition to defeat free radicals and paralyze LDL infiltration of the arteries.

• The Apple

Like any other food rich in pectin (soluble fiber), apples can also help reduce cholesterol levels.

• The Carrot

A very effective food to get rid of the "bad cholesterol" and to raise the "good cholesterol". This vegetable also contains a large amount of cholesterol-reducing soluble fiber, including pectin. The amount of beta-carotene in one or two carrots helps increase HDL lipoproteins. Fresh, frozen, eaten raw or cooked, chopped or pureed or juiced, carrots have the same therapeutic properties.

• Grapefruit

Grapefruit pulp contains an absolutely unique type of soluble fiber, galacturonic acid, which is believed to not only help reduce blood cholesterol, but also dissolve artery-clogging plaque and reverse the process of atheromatous plaque growth.

• Fatty fish.

To stimulate the production of HDL lipoproteins, we can also use fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, but also in ubiquinone (coenzyme Q10), an antioxidant that, according to the most recent discoveries, has a protective effect on the arteries

Don't forget the shellfish!

• Other cholesterol-fighting fiber-rich foods.

The more fiber a food has, the more likely it is to lower blood cholesterol. Here is a list of the best food sources of soluble fiber:

- Cooked : Brussels sprouts, parsnips, turnips, peas, broccoli, onions, carrots, oat bran, oat bran cereal, yellow beans, dry beans, black beans, navy beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, shiitake mushrooms, barley, rice bran, kelp (seaweed).

- Crush : orange pulp, apricots, mangoes, oatmeal.

- Skim milk, green or black tea.

• Summary of foods that may raise HDL (good cholesterol).

Olive oil, onion (raw), garlic, salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna and other fatty fish, oysters, mussels, grape seed oil, almonds, avocado. Foods rich in vitamin C: bell bell pepper, broccoli, orange. Foods high in beta-carotene: carrots, spinach, broccoli. Wine, beer, spirits, in moderation.

• Drinks

If you like to drink a little alcohol on occasion, just one glass of wine, beer or liquor can be beneficial to HDL cholesterol.

• Coffee and cholesterol: what to think.

If you like coffee, prepare it the American way, i.e. by filtering it. The agent that causes the cholesterol elevations is believed to be absorbed by the filter paper.

CONCLUSION

All foods rich in antioxidants prevent LDL cholesterol from oxidizing and becoming toxic, and can therefore be used to detoxify "bad cholesterol". It is therefore important to consume sufficient rations regularly.

It is also essential to reduce your intake of easily oxidized fats, especially fats rich in omega-6 fatty acids, corn oil, safflower oil, fatty meats and fatty dairy products.

We can see that a severe hunt for cholesterol-free products is not enough because it causes a decrease in both good and bad cholesterol. Not only should you limit your intake of saturated fats (saturated fats of animal origin should not exceed 10% - and less, if possible - of your daily calories), but you should also replace them with PPF oils (olive, almond, hazelnut, rapeseed and avocado) and fish oils, and it is imperative that you include a regular intake of fiber. Also avoid low-fat products called "cholesterol-free".