5 Drinks That Are Good To Eat To Lower Bad Cholesterol Levels

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JAKARTA - Cholesterol is a substance that the body needs and functions to build cells and produce vitamins and hormones. In the blood, there are two types of cholesterol, namely LDL or bad cholesterol and HDL or good cholesterol. In order for the body's health to remain prime, it would be better if the levels of these two cholesterol remain balanced. However, if bad cholesterol is greater than good cholesterol, it is likely that it will cause a person to have a heart attack or stroke.

For those of you who already have high cholesterol, maintaining a healthy diet is key. Then, what are the drinks that can be consumed to reduce this bad cholesterol level?

Green tea

Apart from being used for beauty ingredients, green tea has also been shown to be effective in reducing bad cholesterol in the blood. This is because green tea contains catechins and antioxidant compounds that can lower LDL. Black tea can actually also be consumed to lower cholesterol, but it's not as good as green tea.

Soy milk

Soybeans are low in saturated fat, so they can be used as a substitute for cream or high fat milk. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have recommended people consume 25g of soy protein per day to reduce their risk of heart disease. Well, you can replace it with 250ml of soy milk to lower cholesterol levels.

Wheat milk

Wheat milk is also believed to lower cholesterol. The reason is, Oats contain beta-glucan which makes a gel-like substance in the intestines and interacts with bile salts. This reaction can reduce cholesterol absorption.

Tomato juice

Tomatoes are rich in a compound called lycopene. These compounds can increase lipid (fat) levels and lower bad cholesterol (LDL). In addition, research shows that processing tomatoes into juice can increase their lycopene content.

Pure chocolate drink

Cocoa is the main ingredient in dark chocolate. In cocoa there are antioxidants called flavanols which can lower cholesterol levels.