A diagnosis of high cholesterol can be scary, but it does not need to be so intimidating. Many are caught off guard by the diagnosis, because there are no symptoms of high cholesterol. Left unchecked, high cholesterol can contribute to heart attack, stroke, aortic aneurysms, or peripheral artery disease. Fortunately, there are many ways to treat high cholesterol naturally, through dietary changes, in addition to using doctor-prescribed medications.
The following are some low cholesterol snack options that leave you satisfied and full, and even help lower cholesterol levels:
1. Low or no salt nuts
Nuts are a high protein food that leave you feeling full long after you finish your snack. Often packages of nuts are highly salted, so to make this a healthier option, simply look for nut mixes that are low or no sodium. The healthiest nuts to look for are almonds and walnuts. Make sure you check the nutrition label for serving size, because nuts are high in fat content.
2. Veggie sticks and hummus
Fresh vegetables cut into bite sized pieces or veggie sticks are a fantastic, portable snack. Hummus, made of chickpeas and olive oil, is a high protein option that helps make veggie sticks more filling. Hummus comes in sealed, single serving options, or you can make your own very inexpensively with a blender and cans of chickpeas and olive oil. One batch can often last for a couple of days.
3. Air popped popcorn
Popcorn often gets a bad reputation, but really it is the toppings that make it healthy or unhealthy. Air popped popcorn with no flavoring is healthiest. It’s a whole grain, high fiber food, with cancer fighting antioxidants, and is low calorie! This is a fantastic option when you want to eat a large volume of food, but do not want high calorie or fat content.
4. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is not only a tasty breakfast treat, but can also be a good snack food. Topping it with fresh fruit, a little bit of milk or honey can make it very satisfying as well. Not only does oatmeal taste great, but it has a special fiber that consumes cholesterol and moves it through your body without allowing it to be absorbed. This satisfying and versatile food is a potent weapon to fight high cholesterol.
5. Fresh fruit smoothie
Fresh fruit is a quick, easy and inexpensive snack choice. Fruit is portable and easy to find almost anywhere. If you have a little bit of time to prep and a blender, you can make a fruit smoothie that can be eaten as a snack or even double as a meal. Blend up a few cups of fruit, fresh or frozen, some almond milk and a bit of honey for a sweet afternoon pick me up.
6. Avocado
While an unorthodox snack food, avocado is very good at lowering cholesterol levels and has high levels of healthy fats. Avocado can be mashed onto whole grain toast or added to a smoothie without contributing to taste, and the healthy fats leave you feeling satisfied longer.
7. Dark chocolate
Truthfully, a treat every once in awhile is necessary to keep any healthy diet on track. Fortunately, dark chocolate has been identified as a food that can help lower cholesterol levels when consumed occasionally. So go ahead and enjoy a small square of dark chocolate without any guilt.
