HDL Diet

An HDL diet is a diet rich in the kinds of foods that include a lot of HDL, or high density lipoproteins. High density lipoproteins are the type of cholesterol that has become known as "good cholesterol" because it helps keep blood vessels clean and open.  

The so-called "bad cholesterol" you heard about is the type known as LDL, or low density lipoproteins. LDL is a kind of fatty substance that sticks to blood vessel walls and forms something called plaque. As more and more plaque builds up, the walls of your arteries become narrow. Your organs and tissues don't get the oxygen and nutrients they need.

Plus, your heart has to work harder to push blood through your system. This condition is known as high blood pressure or hypertension, and it's definitely not good for you.

HDL is important because it "grabs" LDL in the bloodstream and sweeps it away before it can gunk up your circulatory system. So obviously, creating a healthy amount of HDL in your bloodstream is a worthwhile goal.

What foods are in an HDL diet? 

Keep in mind that cholesterol comes from two places. Your body manufactures all you need (and you do need some for a number of reasons covered elsewhere on this website).

But there's also cholesterol in the food you eat. Because of this, lots of people have an over supply of cholesterol. And when you consider that many of the staples of the American diet contain LDL or bad cholesterol in mass quantities, you can understand why high blood pressure and heart disease are a huge problem in the U.S.A.

To lower your risk of high blood pressure and heart disease, the first thing you have to do is lower your LDL intake. That's covered in detail in several other articles, notably Lowering Your LDL and Cholesterol Free Foods.

Fruits, vegetables, grains and most nuts are high on the list of cholesterol-free foods recommended by doctors and nutritionists.

But it's also important to eat a diet that puts more HDL into your bloodstream. Happily, there are a number of foods that can help you do that.

Oat bran The Mayo Clinic lists this in the number one spot on its list of foods that you should eat for cholesterol health.

Walnuts and almonds Walnuts are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids and significantly blood cholesterol. Almonds are good too.

Cooked beans Pinto, garbanzo (also known as chick pea), and kidney beans. Slip them into salads when you can. One woman we know crushes them and blends them into her marinara sauce.

Carrots There was a study done a few years ago indicating that a single carrot, eaten at breakfast, can lower cholesterol significantly.

Olive Oil and Canola Oil These contain a lot of monounsaturated fatty acids, which are "good fats" that help keep your blood vessels open for business.

Soy Can be found in tofu, tempeh, soy milk, roasted soy nuts.

Eggs Once upon a time, egg yolks were on the "bad for you" list. But there have been some studies lately that suggest the contrary. Many nutritionists now say eating eggs yolks is okay.

Fish Many kinds of fresh fish, especially salmon, contain substances called omega-3 fatty acids. These are known to increase HDL levels.

Summary

The foods mentioned above are part of a good HDL diet. But it's also important to remember that exercise plays a big role keeping your heart - and the rest of you - healthy and happy. Exercise gets more blood flowing in your arteries and veins - gives your HDL more of an opportunity to grab your LDL and get rid of it.

To read more about the importance of the relationship between LDL and HDL, click on Cholesterol Ratios.

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