Five ways to fight cholesterol vegan style

30 June 2017

By Nutritionist Angela Dowden

Vegan on Female First

A typical vegan diet is often already low in saturated fat, but there are healthier choices you can make to safeguard your heart health and reduce your risk of developing cholesterol related diseases. Follow my top tips to reduce the “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and increase the good stuff the vegan way!

3 is the magic number

Omega-3s are considered heart-healthy fatty acids so it’s a good idea to include foods such as walnuts, chia seeds, soya beans or flaxseed which have all been linked to healthier cholesterol levels.

Fabulous fibre

Oats and barley are rich in soluble fibre called Beta Glucan - scientifically proven1 to lower cholesterol and reduce blood glucose levels after meals. Once inside the digestive tract it forms a thick gel which binds to bile acid and transports it out of the body the natural way. Try Betavivo, a breakfast cereal, which if taken every morning, can reduce bad cholesterol levels by 10 -15%3. One sachet of the cholesterol busting cereal contains 3 x the amount of beta-glucan compared to one bowl of porridge. Add it to porridge for an extra beta-glucan boost or follow one of my recipes (www.betavivo.co.uk).

Forgo the trans fats

Although saturated fats are mostly found in animal products such as meats and dairy, they're also in high amounts in palm oil and trendy coconut oil. There's lots of health hype around coconut oil but it's actually a lot higher in saturated fat than butter and there's no strong evidence that it's any better for your cholesterol level, so go easy! Also watch out for trans-fats, which are double the trouble as they increase the bad cholesterol and lower the good stuff. Fortunately, trans fats have been stripped out of virtually all supermarket foods but can still be found in some fried takeaway foods, including meat free ones like chips so these should be only consumed very occasionally.

Dine with red wine

Small amounts of alcohol have been reported to be good for the heart, and one or two small drinks a day may help to raise levels of the “good” HDL cholesterol. Red wine has the best reputation out of all alcoholic beverages - one theory is that plant chemicals, such as proanthocyanidins and resveratrol found in red grapes might make arteries more flexible, improving blood flow. They also protect artery walls from the damage that leads to cholesterol clogging them up.

Veg out

…And I don’t mean relax on your sofa! Instead, try and include plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet each day because they are low in saturated fat. Like oats, fruit and vegetables are also a valuable source of cholesterol-lowering soluble fibre, so try to include at least one pulse (beans, peas, lentils) every day. Other rich sources of soluble fibre include broccoli, sweet potato, aubergine, okra, apples, strawberries, and prunes.

For more tips and expert advice on lowering cholesterol naturally join Betavivo’s 8-week Rise & Shine programme now at: www.betavivo.co.uk