List of Foods to Increase HDL Levels

Cholesterols are essential for the body to carry out our day-to-day functions properly. But if it exceeds the recommended level, it can lead to heart disease. However, it depends on the type of cholesterol. For example, HDL is a good cholesterol that mops your blood of bad cholesterol content and brings it to your liver for being flushed out of the body. 

Thus, people must eat all the right kinds of foods to increase HDL in the body. Here's a guide to teaching you about those food choices and tips to eat well. So, keep reading!

Some foods have high dietary cholesterol, like animal products. Eating these items have a terrible effect on your HDL levels. However, by making the right choices, one can use foods to increase HDL. The options can include:

1. Oatmeal

Oats contain high soluble fibre that keeps the presence of bad cholesterols in your bloodstream low. In fact, these soluble fibres are in beta-glucan form. It is the fibre tied to lower LDL cholesterol. So, to maintain a healthy level, make sure you have at least 3 grams of beta-glucan per day. You can get this by having 3/4th cup of dry oats.

2. Avocado

There are numerous ways of enhancing your toast breakfast, but avocados are one of the best foods to increase HDL. They are packed with monounsaturated fibre and fats and have many health benefits. When you consume them, it helps clean the LDL cholesterol present in the blood and replaces it with HDL. One of the tasty ways to have avocados is avocado hummus, guacamole, and creamy and sweet spinach-avocado smoothie.

3. Berries

Berries, be it strawberries, raspberries, cranberries or blackberries, are the hub of antioxidant compounds. So it means if you are consuming berries, you are getting enough phenolic acids, anthocyanin, carotenoids, stilbenes, tannins, etc., which are directly linked to anti-inflammatory results and healthy cholesterol levels.  So, stir them in your smoothie or yoghurt parfait for a healthy breakfast option. On the other hand, you can also top it in your salad.

4. Olive Oil

Another food source to boost HDL is add olive oil to your diet. It is a staple food of the Mediterranean diet for a specific reason. In other words, the compound is full of oleic acid, an anti-inflammatory compound that helps lower heart problems. The research even says that the Elenolide compound in olive oil also reduces the risk of high blood pressure and prevents stroke. So, whenever you are cooking or preparing a salad dressing, use olive oil instead of your regular refined oil.

5. Cocoa or Dark Chocolate

This is one of the favourite options for many opting for foods to increase HDL levels. In fact, it not only increases HDL levels but also lowers bad cholesterol levels in your blood. The process is simple, cocoa or dark chocolate prevents LDL from oxidising. As a result, it also avoids heart diseases. However, make sure you are not consuming it as a sugary hot chocolate treat topped with whipped cream. Instead, stir the cocoa powder in your yoghurt or oatmeal breakfast. Also, if choosing the dark chocolate option, check the content list. It should have 75% of cocoa in it.

6. Leafy Greens

Dark leafy greens are excellent for the body as they contain the capacity to bind bile acids that help flush out bad cholesterol and balance HDL and LDL levels for healthy living. This is possible as greens contain antioxidants, 'lutein', preventing cholesterols from sticking into your artery walls.

7. Beans and Legumes

One important ingredient of the foods to improve HDL is soluble fibre, and it is present in high quantities in beans and legumes. It absorbs bad cholesterol from the blood and helps establish a proper balance between LDL and HDL. Apart from this, another benefit to having beans in your diet is they are very versatile. It means people can have it in different shapes, sizes, ways and flavours. Not to mention, it is highly affordable. So, have it as Black Bean Tacos or Parmesan White Beans; it is your choice.

8. Apples

Apples act as the top source of pectin and lower bad cholesterol levels to bring a healthy balance between HDL and LDL. This is why even doctors suggest having at least one apple daily. In addition, apples also contain polyphenols which prevent your heart from getting clogged and inflamed. It does so by stopping LDL from oxidising.

9. Fatty Fish

Salmon, mackerel, tuna and herring are some fatty fishes that contain high omega-3 content. Having this in your diet raises your HDL level indirectly by lowering your triglycerides. It is a type of unhealthy fat present in your blood. In addition, fatty fish also benefits your heart by maintaining healthy blood pressure levels and reducing any blood clot chances. Some delicious option that enables you to reap the most benefit from salmon is having dishes like salmon with sun-dried tomato cream sauce and Honey-Garlic Salmon.

10. Walnuts

Nuts and seeds are also foods high in HDL. This is because these are packed with fibre and unsaturated fats that keep your cholesterol level healthy. Moreover, these walnuts are a good source of polyunsaturated fats that maintain a good cholesterol ratio overall. So, vegetarians who are not fans of fish can switch it with walnuts. These also contain high omega-3 fatty acids. However, the recommended level is two to three handfuls of walnuts daily. 

Apart from knowing the best foods to increase HDL, you must also know how to extract the most benefit out of it. So, here we have mentioned some essential healthy eating tips to make sure you have good HDL levels:

• If you are a fan of takeaway foods and can't get rid of them, limit it to only once a week. It includes junk like pastries, pizza, fried fish, creamy pasta, hamburgers, etc.
• Have a target of having at least five veggies in a day.
• Limit your intake of salty, sugary and fatty snack foods to only once a week.
• Include legumes in at least two meals of your day like lentils, chickpeas, etc.
• Switch to healthy cooking oils, including oils made of soybean, canola, sunflower, olive, etc.
• Have seven eggs in a week.
• Choose yoghurt, reduced fat, no added sugar milk and other like products.

Above are the foods to increase HDL levels. However, one can benefit the most by carrying enough physical activity in the day and maintaining a balance, along with adding these foods to their diet.