Foods To Lower Your Cholesterol

This latest research and nutrition experts recommend to reduce heart disease cases is to change your food diet and also your lifestyle. We made a list of the best cholesterol lowering foods in 2007. 


1. Whole Grains and Oats

a five-year Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study showed that people whose diets contain the most whole grains “had the thinnest carotid artery walls and showed the slowest progression in artery wall thickness.”

2. Blueberries

elp lower cholesterol as effectively as commercial drugs with fewer side effects.

3. Nuts

small serving of nuts every day can reduce your total cholesterol, reduce your LDL cholesterol.

4. Chlorella

chlorella is a potent, eco-friendly source of healthy omega-3 fats

5. Chocolate

consume raw chocolate without added dairy products or artificial sweeteners.

6. Avocados, 7. Olives, and 8. Olive Oil

The high level of monounsaturated fats in avocados, olives, and olive oil protect against heart disease and diabetes and can increase your good cholesterol and decrease your bad cholesterol.

9. Goji Berries

can increase the production of an antioxidant called superoxide dismutase (SOD) which prevents cholesterol oxidation.

10. Flaxseed and Flaxseed Oil

Many experts agree that flaxseeds are a good choice to help maintain heart health and avoid heart disease and dangerous cholesterol levels.

Here’s our new 2011 list of the Top 14 Foods that Lower Cholesterol.

• Cholesterol not the sole reason people have heart disease, but it’s definitely a contributing factor. Experts agree that dietary cholesterol raises blood cholesterol and that high blood cholesterol levels increase your risk for heart disease.

Drinking More Kombucha

This post was originally published as Kombucha! by Laurel on Health Food.

I was always kind of “eh” about kombucha tea, until I tried some great local brands here in NYC. Now I’m crazy for the stuff. Kombucha is a fermented tea that’s been praised for its health benefits for centuries including increased energy, improved digestion, and prevention/treatment of illnesses including common flu and cancer.


I started drinking more kombucha over the last month or two after I stocked up on a bunch of bottles at the NYC Veg Food Fest. This is my personal opinion, but I definitely feel like a get an energy boost after drinking it and I especially love how it eases my digestion.


A few my local favorites are Kombucha Brooklyn’s grape flavor (kombucha mixed with a little concord grape juice) and Bao Fresh Kombucha’s mango flavor. I’ve even been thinking of buying one of the brew kits from Kombucha Brooklyn to make my own ‘buch at home. Hmm.


What’s your thoughts on kombucha? You like it? Or think it’s gross? Never tried it?

Avoid getting sick

This post was originally published as Boost Your Immunity by Laurel on Health Food.

Women’s Health Magazine reports that some food and drinks will boost your immune system and help you avoid getting sick.

• Chamomile tea – polyphenols in the tea increase antibacterial blood activity
• Steel-cut oats – packed with beta-glucans (fiber) that activate white blood cell activity
• Salad dressing w/healthy fats (ex. olive oil & balsamic vinegar) – fat is essential for the body to absorb cartenoids (the antioxidants that improve your immunity)
  Tip: Do not choose “fat free” dressings. Your body needs healthy fats to absorb the powerful antioxidants.
• Whey protein (ex. whey protein powder or yogurt) – contains an amino acid called cysteine which converts into an antioxidant (glutathione) to protect your cells against bacterial or viral infections
  Tip: Don’t drain the clear liquid at the top of your yogurt carton, just stir it back in. The liquid is pure whey protein!
• Tomato – lycopene acts as an antioxidant to protect white blood cells from free radical damage
• Butterbur - herbal supplement that helps fight allergies
• Gatorade – increases immune response during intense exercise
• Wine – ethanol, organic acids, and low pH in wine can stop E. coli, listeria, and salmonella before they make you sick
• Hot sauce – capsaicin, a compoind in chili peppers, may improve immunity by increasing your number of antibodies and helping to remove toxins from your system

Read the entire “Immunity Diet” article here. Women’s Health includes reputable studies to back up their choices of immunity-boosting food and drinks.

Loaded with vitamin C and have the most delicious sweet flavor

This post was originally published as  Mango Basil Salad Dressing by Laurel on Health Food blog.

I found some gorgeous champagne mangoes on sale at the grocery store this week and bought three of them. They are loaded with vitamin C and have the most delicious sweet flavor and buttery texture. I just can’t get enough! Awhile back I saw someone puree mango for a sauce to put on top of meat, so I figured a mango salad dressing would be fun to make too. It came out really good…so good that I think this is my favorite salad dressing I’ve ever made. I’m so happy I have leftovers for the next day or two.

Mango Basil Salad Dressing
(makes about 3/4 cup dressing)

Mango Basil Salad Dressing served over avocado, mixed greens, tomatoes, green onion, and red bell pepper

1 small ripe mango
1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
6 large basil leaves
1/2 lemon
1 tbsp. water

Remove the skin and pit from the mango and scoop out the flesh into a food processor or blender. Add the red wine vinegar, olive oil, juice from the lemon half, and the water. Blend or process until smooth. Roughly chop the basil leaves and add them to the dressing. Process for a couple seconds more to make sure the leaves mix in. Serve a few spoonfuls on top of any salad. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a few days.

Mango Basil Salad Dressing in natural light

Heart-Healthy Lycopene

This post was originally published as Heart-Healthy Lycopene by Laurel on Health Food blog.

Lycopene is the healthy phytonutrient that gives the bright red color to produce such as watermelon and tomatoes. Studies show that lycopene helps keep your blood vessels in their best shape, prevents cancer, and keeps your cholesterol at healthy levels. Here are some of the best food sources of lycopene:

• Watermelon
• Tomatoes (red, orange, and tomato products)
• Pink grapefruit
• Guava
• Papaya

Summer is the perfect time of year to boost your lycopene intake because most of these fruits are in season. Here are a few lycopene-rich recipes to get you started:
Tomato, Cucumber, Onion, and Avocado (TCOA) Salad (Laurel’s recipe)
Caprese Salad (Laurel’s recipe)
Watermelon & Feta Salad with Pine Nuts (ChefMD recipe)
Papaya Green Onion Salad (Bobby Flay recipe)

Here’s a few ideas for summer parties. Puree fresh or frozen guava, papaya, or watermelon and mix them with lime juice and a shot of rum or tequila for a healthy cocktail. You can also chop up these fruits into small pieces, add fresh cilantro, lime, and jalapeno for a delicious salsa to put on top of grilled fish or to serve with chips.

Black Bean Soup with Avocado Recipe

This post was originally published as Black Bean Soup w/ Avocado by Laurel on Health Food blog.

Enjoy this easy and comforting meal that you can prepare in under 30 minutes. This soup is super creamy (thanks to the avocado) and rich in fiber, folate, protein, and healthy fats. Thanks so much to Beverly at Whole Foods Upper West Side for the inspiration!

Black Bean Soup with Avocado Recipe
(makes about 4-5 servings)

 

2 cans black beans
2 ripe avocados
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tbsp. hot sauce (such as Sriracha)
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
Salt & pepper

Chop up the onion and sauté in a soup pot with the olive oil over medium-low heat until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add the garlic, stir, and sauté for another minute. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, 1 tbsp. of the hot sauce, and a little salt and pepper. Add 1 can of black beans and the vegetable stock, and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat. Pour the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Remove the skin and pit from the avocados and cut up into bite-sized pieces. Add half of the diced avocado to the ingredients in the blender and reserve the rest for garnish. Blend until smooth. Pour the blended ingredients back into your soup pot and add the other can of black beans. Stir, bring back to a simmer, and serve hot in bowls with the remaining avocado and hot sauce sprinkled on top for garnish.

Baked Pesto Chicken

"This post was originally published as Baked Pesto Chicken byLaurel on Health Food log."

This Baked Pesto Chicken is something you can put together in 5 minutes, stick in the oven, and forget about for an hour. Nice! I like using organic chicken thighs because they’re inexpensive and guaranteed to be moist. But, feel free to use skin-on chicken breast or whatever pieces are your favorite.

Baked Pesto Chicken

4-5 chicken thighs (skin on)
4-5 heaping tsp. prepared pesto
½ lemon
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken thighs in a glass baking dish. Using your fingers, separate the skin from each thigh and spread 1 tsp. of pesto under the skin, on top of the meat. Replace skin on top of each thigh and drizzle olive oil on top of the skins. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 50 minutes. As soon as you take the chicken out of the oven, squeeze fresh lemon juice on top of each thigh and let rest for 5 minutes before eating.
Tip 1: You can find prepared pesto in a jar near the tomato sauces in any grocery store. Look for all natural ingredients. Tip 2: For a comforting, home-style meal, serve these chicken thighs with boiled red potatoes and green beans.
Laurel on Health Food  is a blog about nutrition, healthy eating, and health food. It summarizes articles in the news, lists healthy recipes, offers tips and personal feedback on healthy eating, and reports on nutritional research.

Foods That Are Healthy, Beneficial & Healing For Our Bodies

"This post was originally published as "These are a Few of My Favorite Things" by Laurel on Health Food blog."

BrainReady.com lists their top five brain health foods. You may begin to wonder why some of these wonderful foods get mentioned on my site over and over. The answer is simple. They are so healthy, beneficial, and healing for our bodies.

Food	Health Attributes	Brain Health Benefits
Wild Salmon	essential fatty acids, animal protein, low saturated fat, low contaminants	improves brain matter, mood, synaptic connections, and arteries (omega fatty acids help neurotransmitters improve mood and stabilize serotonin levels), reduces risk of stroke, Dementia, Alzheimer’s
Cacao Beans	theobromine, antioxidants, flavonoids, catechins	cognitive, mood, and bliss enhancement
Matcha (quality green tea powder)	amino acid (L-Theanine), antioxidants, catechins, vitamin C & A, fluroride, EGCG	helps calm, focus, and stimulate the brain
Acai Berries & Blueberries	antioxidants (such as anthocyanins), essential fatty acids, protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber	antioxidants support healthy brain function and reduce arterial damage which affects blood flow to the brain, and omega fats improve brain function (see above for wild salmon)
Coffee Beans	antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, caffeine	reduces risk of Dementia and Alzehimer’s, boosts mental performance, and reduces headaches

Laurel on Health Food is a blog about nutrition, healthy eating, and health food. It summarizes articles in the news, lists healthy recipes, offers tips and personal feedback on healthy eating, and reports on nutritional research.

Laurel is a writer, blogger, and certified holistic health counselor/health coach living in New York, NY. Some of her favorite foods are: avocados, raw chocolate, kale, garlic, honey, peaches, and quinoa.

Giveaway! Coconut Bliss until January 23, 2011

This post was originally published as Unhealthy Ingredients to Avoid byLaurel on Health Food blog."

Laurel on Health Food  is a blog about nutrition, healthy eating, and health food. It summarizes articles in the news, lists healthy recipes, offers tips and personal feedback on healthy eating, and reports on nutritional research.

Want to try Coconut Bliss for yourself? Good news! I have some coupons for free pints of their ice cream to giveaway to two lucky readers.

To submit your entry to win two coupons for FREE pints of any flavor Coconut Bliss, leave a comment on this post with your answer to the following question: Why do you want to try Coconut Bliss ice cream? All entries must be submitted by Sunday January 23rd, 2011 at 11:59pm EST. The two people with the best answer will be chosen as the winners and contacted by email. If you win, I’ll need your full name and address to send you the coupons. Open to U.S. residents only. One entry per person.

Good luck!

Coconut Bliss Vanilla Island, Coconut Bliss Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge, and Cacao Nibs

Laurel on Health Food / Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe

This post was originally published as Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe by Laurel on Health Food blog.

Laurel on Health Food is a blog about nutrition, healthy eating, and health food. It summarizes articles in the news, lists healthy recipes, offers tips and personal feedback on healthy eating, and reports on nutritional research.

Pineapple Fried Rice

Green onions, diced
Yellow onion, diced
Red bell pepper, diced
Sesame oil (or peanut oil)
Pineapple, diced
Brown rice, cooked
Hot sauce
Salt (optional)

Heat up a deep sauté pan over medium heat. Pour a couple tablespoons of sesame oil in the pan and add the yellow onion, red bell pepper, and green onions. Sauté about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the pineapple and sauté for another minute. Add in your rice and a dash of hot sauce (I like Sriracha hot sauce) and mix well. 

Saute for another 5 minutes until the rice starts to brown. Remove from heat and serve. Season with salt if you think you need it. 

Tip: Frozen pineapple works great if you can’t find a fresh one at your grocery store.

Laurel On Health Food | Health Food, Healthy Eating, and Nutrition

Laurel on Health Food is a blog about nutrition, healthy eating, and health food. It summarizes articles in the news, lists healthy recipes, offers tips and personal feedback on healthy eating, and reports on nutritional research.

Laurel is a writer, blogger, and certified holistic health counselor/health coach living in New York, NY. Some of her favorite foods are: avocados, raw chocolate, kale, garlic, honey, peaches, and quinoa.

The Greens We Eat

This post was originally published as Still Not Eating Greens? by Laurel on Health Food blog.

One of the first things I learned in my health counseling training was that leafy greens are the #1 food missing from the typical American diet. It’s something worth mentioning, because greens are one of the most important foods for us to eat!

Good news: I read another study that proves leafy greens are life-saving foods. Yesterday I read about new research from the Hallym University College of Medicine in South Korea. Scientists studied the amount of folate in the diets of women with colorectal cancer and without cancer. They found that women who ate the most folate every day were 50% less likely to develop cancer than those who ate the least amount. (Ref: Oprah Magazine, Jan 2010, p. 92).

Make sure to focus on getting your folate from real food sources. Some studies have found that synthetic folate provides no protection against cancer. So fill up on green foods like:

Asparagus, spinach, romaine lettuce, turnip greens, mustard greens, and broccoli. Lentil beans are also an excellent source.

Think of greens as a way to cleanse your body. If you compare nutrition to nature, the trees and plants on the Earth’s surface take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen back into the atmosphere. The greens we eat as food also cleanse our bodies and support strong respiratory and circulatory systems.

Texas Rio Star Grapefruit Giveaway

This post was originally published as Texas Rio Star Grapefruit Giveaway by Laurel on Health Food blog.

If you love grapefruits like me, here’s your chance to win a free box of them from Texas Rio Star. Watch their video on Texas Rio Star grapefruits and then take the quiz below. You may take the quiz more than once, but only your first attempt score will count. You will have to enter your email address in the quiz in order to be eligible to win. Your email will be kept confidential and will not be shared or added to any lists.

Fresh Smoothies: Acai Berry Boost with Antioxidants

“This post was originally published as Fill Up on Antioxidants with Fresh Smoothies by Laurel on Health Food log

I also used frozen strawberries to save a little money (fresh berries are SO EXPENSIVE during the Winter). I did buy a fresh pomegranate because they ARE in season and were on sale. I really enjoyed the tart flavor of this smoothie but it had a lot of seeds from the pomegranate. When I make it again, I might swap out half of the pomegranate airils for fresh pomegranate juice. Great tasting smoothie though.

Acai Berry Boost

• 1/2 cup acai juice
• 1 ripe banana
• 1/4 cup pomegranate arils
• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 4-5 strawberries, hulled
• 2 tablespoon turbinado sugar
• 3/4 cup water

The Acai Berry Boost smoothie was my favorite of the two. It had a wonderful sweet flavor and a smooth consistency. I used frozen strawberries and blueberries and cut out the turbinado sugar. I will definitely make this one again. Yum!

To learn more about Tropical Smoothie Cafe’s drinks and food, visit TropicalSmoothieCafe.com. I hope you enjoy the smoothie recipes! They’re a great way to stay healthy this season. Just be careful if you’re up north. You don’t want to suck down a cold smoothie right before you head outside into the cold.

Healthy and Fresh Smoothies with Antioxidants

“This post was originally published as Fill Up on Antioxidants with Fresh Smoothies by Laurel on Health Food blog

I try my best to fill up with antioxidant- and nutrient-rich food all year long, but I pay special attention to eating plenty of them during the Winter months when everyone seems to get sick. One of the easiest ways to get your daily dose of antioxidants and nutrients is to blend up fresh smoothies at home.

Recently, the PR team from Tropical Smoothie Café sent me two recipes from their new ‘supercharged’ smoothie line to share with my readers! These smoothies contain antioxidant-packed fruits such as pomegranates, goji berries, and acai berries. I included two smoothie recipes below and my thoughts on each.

Pomegranate Plunge

• 1 cup pomegranate arils
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• 2 tablespoon turbinado sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 ripe banana
• 4-5 strawberries, hulled

I made the Pomegranate Plunge last night and decided to leave out the sugar. To me, it was plenty sweet already. But if you like a sweeter taste, turbinado sugar is a less-processed and healthier version of regular white sugar.

Study Shows Cancer Reduction with Vitamin D

“This post was originally published as Vitamin D Study Shows Cancer Reduction by Laurel on Health Food blog.”

MSNBC.com reports that a study from the University of California-San Diego showed that vitamin D reduced the risk of several types of cancer by in older women by 60%. The study had a small number of cancer cases, but it will help launch more extensive studies that backup why cancer rates are lower in southern latitudes where people get more sunlight (our skin produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight).
The exact amount of vitmain D that people should intake is still unknown. However, Dr. Michael Holick, of Boston University Medical Center said that “1,000 daily units of vitamin D3 would now be reasonable for most people.”

Pineapple Packed with Vitamin C & Manganese

This post was originally published as Love Thy Pineapple by Laurel on Health Food blog.

Mark’s Daily Apple writes that pineapple is the only food with natural bromelain (an enzyme group that aids digestion, reduces inflammation and swelling, and speeds healing). These enzymes are helpful for muscle and joint injuries, gout, and arthritis. Note: Cooking pineapple deactivates the bromelain.

Pineapple is also packed with vitamin C and manganese.

Pineapple Packed with Vitamin C & Manganese

Mark’s Daily Apple writes that pineapple is the only food with natural bromelain (an enzyme group that aids digestion, reduces inflammation and swelling, and speeds healing). These enzymes are helpful for muscle and joint injuries, gout, and arthritis. Note: Cooking pineapple deactivates the bromelain. more of Health Food

Pineapple is also packed with vitamin C and manganese.

Laurel’s Seafood Stew Recipe

 This post was originally published as What to Eat When You’re Sick by Laurel on Health Food blog.

I came down with a little cold the past few days. Ugh. As soon as I got back to NY it hit me hard. At the end of my FL vacation, I was running around between different families, traveling, and then flying back to a drastically different climate. But, after a few days of rest and home cooked meals, I’m on the ups. I spent the little energy I had yesterday making a big seafood stew and raw kale avocado salad. That’s what I do when I’m sick. I make vegetable-heavy soup, sleep as much as possible, and drinks tons of water and tea with honey.

I adapted this seafood stew recipe from Giada De Laurentiis’ Cioppino recipe on the Food Network. I added carrots (for sweetness), coconut milk (to thicken it up), cut out the clams, doubled the shrimp, and used Old Bay seasoning and vegetable stock in place of fish stock. The outcome? Delicious stew that’s nursing me back to health.

Laurel’s Seafood Stew

Tasty Red Potatoes for lunch, dinner, or even breakfast

Small red potatoes are one of my favorite things to cook with. They always hit the spot and are so comforting! My Tasty Red Potatoes recipe is super easy and can be made for lunch, dinner, or even breakfast. Serve these up with scrambled eggs for brunch on the weekend and you will make everyone happy. That’s a promise!

Tasty Red Potatoes