Lower Cholesterol When You Eat More Of This

Experts have found more of beans, peas, chickpeas or lentils in a day could help reduce high cholesterol and contribute immensely to weight loss.

Researchers from St Michael's Hospital in Toronto, Canada, said eating three-quarters of a cup the equivalent of 130 grams a day of these foods called pulses led to a weight loss of 0.34 kilograms.

The research builds on previous work by the hospital’s Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Centre, that a daily serving of pulses can significantly reduce bad cholesterol.

They said it could reduce cholesterol five per cent and therefore lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Cholesterol is a waxy substance produced mainly in the liver, but most body cells can make it when necessary.

It is important for health as it is used to make hormones, vitamin D, bile acids and cell membranes but there are two main types of cholesterol which are good HDL cholesterol and bad LDL cholesterol.

Good HDL-cholesterol removes LDL-cholesterol from the circulation and transports it back to the liver for processing.

But bad cholesterol has been linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease such as heart attack and stroke.

Other foods which can help lower cholesterol include oats, nuts, apples, grapes, strawberries and citrus fruits and even garlic.

“So there is room for most of us to incorporate dietary pulses in our diet and realise potential weight management benefits.”

The meta-analysis looked at 21 clinical trials involving 940 adult men and women, who lost an average of 0.34 kg (0.75 pounds) over six weeks with the addition of a single serving of pulses to the diet.

Pulses have a low glycemic index and can be used to reduce or displace animal protein as well as bad fats such as trans-fat in a dish or meal.

Dr de Souza noted that 90 per cent of weight loss interventions fail, resulting in weight regain, which may be due in part to hunger and food cravings.

“This new study fits well with our previous work, which found that pulses increased the feeling of fullness by 31 per cent, which may indeed result in less food intake.” said Dr. de Souza.

“Though the weight loss was small, our findings suggest that simply including pulses in your diet may help you lose weight, and we think more importantly, prevent you from gaining it back after you lose it,” Dr de Souza said.

This comes after it was revealed a simple cholesterol jab could protect thousands against killer condition.

CULLED FROM EXPRESS.CO.UK