Fruit salads are a great way to fit cholesterol-reducing foods into your diet, as well as contributing towards your five a day. This fruit salad contains 4 of the top cholesterol-reducing foods:-
1. Apples
An apple a day really can keep the doctor away. Apples are rich in pectin, a soluble fibre that helps to lower bad cholesterol (LDL), so try to eat them as often as possible. Here are some other suggestions to fit more apples into your daily diet.
2. Flaked Almonds
Almonds are rich in monounsaturated fats, which can help to lower bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol (HDL), as well as providing tons of other nutrients. Flaked almonds are really versatile – you can add them to all sorts of things like muesli, curries, salads and pretty much any dessert.
3. Berries
Not only do berries help to reduce the buildup of bad cholesterol, but they also contain an antioxidant that is responsible for the increase of good cholesterol. Berries contain lots of other health benefiting plant-nutrients too, such as soluble dietary fibre, minerals and vitamins, that contribute towards health and wellbeing.
4. Soya Yoghurt
Research suggests that compounds in soya foods called isoflavones can help to reduce bad cholesterol. It’s not for everyone though and can take a bit of getting used to, so if you’re not a fan then just use fat free natural yoghurt instead.
Information
- Makes 2 servings
- Preparation time: 2 mins
- Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 1 medium apple
- 8 strawberries
- 2 tbsp goji berries (optional)
- 1 handful grapes
- 4 tbsp yoghurt (soya or fat free natural)
- 2 tbsp flaked almond (or other nuts)
Method
- Chop the apple and strawberries and divide between two bowls
- Add half of the goji berries, grapes and yoghurt to each bowl, then sprinkle the flaked almonds on top. And that’s it!
apples-and-beans 