Written By: Shraddha Rupavate | Updated : September 25, 2014 3:03 PM IST
Are you eating enough natural foods to lower your cholesterol levels? If not, here's one that you can easily find in your kitchen almonds.
Almonds are rich in fat content, which may be the reason people avoid eating them. But, they do not contain unhealthy fats or saturated fatty acids. They contain mono-unsaturated fats or good fats that contribute to their cholesterol lowering properties. Apart from that, almonds are also rich in nutrients like fiber and minerals like copper and magnesium that are associated with a cholesterol lowering ability.
A study by Berryman CE and colleagues found that almonds consistently reduce bad cholesterol or LDL in healthy individuals due to the presence of these nutrients in them. According to the study, these nutrients primarily target the route or the process by which LDL is eliminated from the body. They decrease the re-absorption of cholesterol and bile pigment in the blood stream, thereby increasing the excretion. They also increase the LDL receptor activity on the liver cells so that it gets absorbed by the liver. It is also suggested that some nutrients present in almonds may even regulate the enzymes required for the synthesis of bile acid and cholesterol in the body.
So, go ahead and have a few almonds every day to reap its benefits.
Image source: Getty images
Reference:
Berryman CE et al. Effects of almond consumption on the reduction of LDL-cholesterol: a discussion of potential mechanisms and future research directions.
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