February is American Heart Month and time to take a look at your cholesterol levels. We hear a lot about how to lower our LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein) or “bad” cholesterol, but there is one type of cholesterol we want to increase. HDL (high-density lipoprotein) or “good” cholesterol is beneficial to the heart because it helps remove excess cholesterol from the body. HDL levels above 60 can help protect a person against heart disease and HDL levels below 40 can raise the risk of heart disease or stroke.
A question often asked is how to raise the HDL or “good” cholesterol if it is low. Keep in mind that raising the HDL level is more difficult to do than lowering the LDL or “bad” cholesterol. Genetics is one of the factors that can determine if a person can raise their HDL with diet and lifestyle changes.
Here are some suggestions to help raise HDL levels:
Lose weight if overweight. The body breaks down HDL faster if there is more body fat.
Exercise.
Stop smoking. Smoking may lower your level of HDL by as much as 15 percent.
Use products with monounsaturated fats such as olive and canola oil, nuts and avocados.
Cut down on trans fats. Limit foods made with hydrogenated oils.
Limit carbohydrate foods that have a lot of sugar.
Eat fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C each day. Citrus fruits and juices, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, cantaloupe and potatoes are a few of the fruits and vegetables that are good sources of vitamin C. Some research has shown that people with high blood vitamin C levels have higher HDL blood levels.
Heart healthy hummus
All you need:
2 cups canned or cooked garbanzo beans
2 tablespoons tahini or peanut butter
1 1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 large garlic clove
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 cup red salsa, optional
Nonfat plain yogurt smoothed with a tablespoon of nonfat sour cream or low-fat milk, optional
6 rounds of pita bread, each cut into 6 triangles
All you need:
1. Drain the garbanzo beans and reserve the liquid; then purée them with the remaining hummus ingredients in a blender or food processor. Add as much of the reserved liquid as necessary to make a smooth purée. Taste for seasoning, adding salt, pepper and lemon juice as desired. If you don’t plan to serve it immediately, cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.
2. If you have a very coarse salsa, pulse it briefly in a blender to smooth it slightly. Serve the hummus, salsa and yogurt in separate bowls. Accompany the hummus with a basket of warm pita triangles.
Makes approximately 2 cups
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
Amount Per Serving:
Total Fat 20g, Carbohydrates 63g, Dietary Fiber 12 g, Saturated Fat 2.5g, Calories 499 kcal, Cholesterol 1mg, Protein 18g
