Consumption of dietary fibre from fruits and cereals may lower the risk of coronary heart disease, say researchers from Harvard University, Boston. They say that dietary fibre, found in fruits, vegetables, grains and cereals, may reduce the risk of heart disease by...
cholesterol
Cholesterol Fighter? Compound in blueberries shows great promise
A compound in blueberries shows promise of lowering cholesterol as effectively as a commercial drug and has the potential for fewer side effects, according to a researcher with the US Department of Agriculture. The compound, pterostilbene, could be used for those who...
Go Nuts! Almonds help lower cholesterol, studies show
Almonds are high in fiber, protein, folic acid, vitamin E, iron, zinc, copper, magnesium, phosphorus and phytochemicals. They’re also high in monounsaturated fats, which protect against heart disease by lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or the "bad" cholesterol...
Young at Heart? Vitamins improve cholesterol problems in children
An estimated 50 million children have high levels of the "bad" cholesterol -- known as LDL -- that puts them at high risk for suffering heart attacks as adults. Most of these children have inherited disorders causing these abnormal cholesterol levels. Because...
Cutting Cholesterol: Plant sterols found to be effective
A recent study has shown once again that naturally occurring plant compounds called phytosterols can help lower blood levels of cholesterol. Researchers at the Department of Internal Medicine at Washington University in St Louis studied 10 volunteer subjects with...
Eat Away Cholesterol: Diet as effective as drugs, say researchers
Researchers at the University of Toronto and St. Michael's Hospital have shown that a vegetarian diet composed of specific plant foods can lower cholesterol as effectively as a drug treatment. The study compared a diet of known cholesterol-lowering, vegetarian foods...
High cholesterol? Go nuts!
Researchers at the Lorna Linda University in California report that people who replaced 20% of their energy intake with almonds had a markedly improved cholesterol reading. The study compared the effects of a popular cholesterol control diet (Step 1), which restricts...
Cholesterol Success: Tea extracts found to lower cholesterol
A clinical trial testing green tea extract is the first human study to find that a tea product lowers cholesterol. The double-blind, randomized, controlled study included 240 men and women with high cholesterol levels in China. During the 12-week trial, participants,...
Antioxidants for Arteries: Vitamins C and E slow heart disease progression
Three years ago, a team of Finnish researchers reported that combined supplements of natural vitamin E and time-release vitamin C, taken over a three-year period, slowed the progression of atherosclerosis in men. Using ultrasound to document blood-vessel changes, the...
Cholesterol Clues: Study finds plant sterols cut levels
Phytosterols are naturally occurring plant compounds found in vegetables and legumes. They have a chemical structure similar to cholesterol, but inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine. Many studies have found that esterified phytosterols added to...