High blood lipids, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and fatty liver are prevalent diseases today, making the reduction of blood lipids and blood pressure a popular topic. How to lower blood lipids? Many people choose health products, such as deep-sea fish oil, which is very popular. Some people (including some doctors) once "worshipped" its lipid-lowering effect, but deep-sea fish oil is very expensive in China.
Is it necessary to take health products or medicines to lower blood lipids? In fact, many inexpensive and nutritious foods also have lipid-lowering effects. Several foods with good effects are introduced below.
1. Celery
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that celery is cool in nature. Celery is rich in vitamins and minerals, which can enhance gastrointestinal motility, has a good laxative effect, and helps to expel excess fat from the intestines. Foreign studies have confirmed that people who eat celery regularly have a significant decrease in cholesterol levels in their bodies, and it can also significantly lower blood pressure.
Tip: Celery contains a lot of coarse fiber and can accelerate gastrointestinal motility. The elderly, the weak, or patients with long-term, unhealed stomach diseases should reduce their intake of celery.
2. Cauliflower
Cauliflower comes in white and green varieties; the green one is also called broccoli. The nutritional value of both is basically the same. Cauliflower is low in calories and high in dietary fiber, and is also rich in vitamins and minerals, so it is also known as "a gift from heaven".
Cauliflower contains more flavonoids. Flavonoids are a good vascular cleanser that can effectively remove cholesterol deposited on blood vessels and prevent platelet aggregation, reducing the risk of heart disease.
Tip: Steaming is the best way to eat cauliflower. Soak the cauliflower in salt water for a few minutes, and the cabbage worms will come out, and residual pesticides can also be removed.
Braised Cauliflower with Green Beans
3. Eggplant
The skin of eggplant is rich in vitamin P, which has a significant effect on lowering blood lipids and cholesterol. Vitamin P can also increase the elasticity of capillaries, improve microcirculation, and has obvious blood-activating and vessel-unblocking functions. In addition, eggplant also contains a large amount of saponins, which can lower cholesterol in the blood. Therefore, eggplant is an ideal food for patients with hypertension and arteriosclerosis.
Tip: Frying eggplant will cause a large loss of vitamin P, so frying should be reduced, or it should be coated with batter before frying.
4. Garlic
Garlic has a significant effect on lowering blood lipids and preventing arteriosclerosis, and can effectively prevent thrombosis. Regular consumption of garlic can provide significant protection for the cardiovascular system. Garlic is also known as "the gold of medicinal plants".
Tip: The pickling time for garlic should not be too long, so as not to destroy its active ingredients. Patients with digestive tract diseases, liver diseases, and eye diseases should not consume too much garlic.
Stir-fried Tofu with Fresh Shrimp and Garlic
5. Bitter Melon
Bitter melon is cool in nature and bitter in taste. It contains more bitter melon saponins, which can stimulate insulin release and has a very significant hypoglycemic effect. Bitter melon is also rich in vitamin B1, vitamin C, and various minerals, which can regulate blood lipids and improve the body's immunity, earning it the nickname "plant insulin".
Tip: Patients with chronic enteritis should not eat too much bitter melon. It should be stir-fried over high heat and should not be stewed for a long time.
6. Chili Pepper
The vitamin C content in chili peppers is the highest among all foods. Vitamin C can improve the body's microcirculation, reduce the fragility of capillaries, and at the same time, vitamin C can also lower cholesterol levels, making it a natural lipid-lowering food. Japanese scholars have found that capsaicin seasoning can promote fat metabolism, prevent fat accumulation in the body, and thus has the effect of lowering lipids and losing weight.
Tip: Excessive consumption of chili peppers can irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa and easily cause diseases such as stomach pain and gastric ulcer. In addition, chili peppers are considered a "hot" food in Traditional Chinese Medicine, so patients with hypertension should use them with caution.