Avocado and nuts may keep cholesterol at bay

This news item was added on 28th February 2008

Dietary changes such as incorporating avocado and unsalted nuts into the diet can help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels, an expert has said.

According to Denise Armstrong, a lifestyle manager at Heart Research UK, patients with high cholesterol are commonly prescribed statins, but there are a number of natural ways to help keep cholesterol in check.

The expert revealed: "Looking at it from a natural point of view, just a small palmful of unsalted nuts every day can help."

Ms Armstrong also recommends eating avocados, which "have a natural chemical in them which is really good at attacking the cholesterol problem and helps to reduce cholesterol naturally".

Current guidelines recommend that adults should maintain their total cholesterol below 5mmol/l but figures from the British Heart Foundation show that 70 per cent of men and women had blood cholesterol levels of 5mmol/l and higher in 2003.

Ms Armstrong noted that the majority of cholesterol is manufactured by the body and that a high intake of saturated fat increases production, highlighting the importance of minimising the level of saturated fat in your daily diet.