Cholesterol Lowering Herbs For Managing Cholesterol
A wise way to keep your cholesterol level low is to eat foods low in fat. However, even if you have taken great care, you may have fallen prey to cholesterol. There are many people who prefer cholesterol lowering herbs in order to manage their high cholesterol level instead of depending solely on prescription drugs. It is mainly because of the reason that herbs offer minimum or no adverse side effects as compared to any prescribed medicines.
However, cholesterol lowering herbs can not be used entirely as substitute for medicines. The use of cholesterol lowering herbs is primarily limited to the people who are not at high risk or not on prescribed medications for lowering cholesterol. In this article, we will try to explore few details about various cholesterol lowering herbs.
Psyllium
Psyllium consists of seeds wrapped up with husks. In India and Iran, psyllium is commonly seen. Psyllium husks are great additions as thickeners. Psyllium fibers can be used effectively to lower cholesterol levels. These fibers work as positive catalysts during digestive process. Psyllium has the proven property to lower cholesterol level when it is included in the food content. Apart from that, it helps in preventing the body from absorbing further cholesterol.
Alfalfa Herb
Alfalfa herb is a well-known herb rich with nutrients. It is one of the most commonly used cholesterol lowering herbs. Rich with calcium, potassium and magnesium, Alfalfa herb consists of a wide variety of vitamins. This herb is not only beneficial for lowering cholesterol level, but also aids in treating the complications occurring during menopause. Alfalfa herb comprises of saponin, a sugar derivative effective in preventing cholesterol absorption by the body.
Garlic
Since ages, garlic is well-respected as a great content in kitchens and medicine cabinets among many cultures around the world. When you crush a clove of garlic, it secrets a compound referred to as allicin, a compound having cholesterol lowering properties. When it is released in the digestive system, it prevents cholesterol absorption in the body and helps in lowering the cholesterol level.
Flax Seed
This is one of the most useful cholesterol lowering herbs. Flax seed is rich with a-linoleic acid, an almost similar content found in omega-3 fatty acids. Studies have shown that a regular consumption of flax seed helps in lowering high cholesterol and blood pressure to a significant extent. In addition, it is also claimed that flax seeds aids in minimizing the risk of heart attacks by preventing blood platelets from being sticky or clustering together.
