Artichoke leaf It has been shown through recent researches that the artichoke leaf extract may actually show some results when it comes to lowering cholesterol levels. A double-blind, placebo-controlled German study shown that if 1.800 milligrams of artichoke extract are taken for six weeks every day, it will lower total cholesterol levels by more than 18 percent compared to the small number of 8.6 percent in the placebo group. Besides this, it lowered LDL cholesterol by about 23 percent (comparing this number with the 6 percent obtained in the placebo group) and improved the LDL to HDL ratio by 20 percent (while in the placebo group it only improved it with about 7 percent). The best part is that artichoke has no adverse effects associated with its usage. Controlled trials for artichoke extract for high cholesterol have been recently looked over by a meta analysis. A total of 167 people involved in two trials met the quality criteria. Through one of these studies, it has been shown that after 42 days of treatment, artichoke significantly reduces total cholesterol. The other study was taken in a subgroup of patients with total cholesterol of more than 230 milligrams per deciliter and it has shown great results – the total cholesterol level has been reduced with more than 50 percent. The side effects were infrequent, transient and mild. Still, larger clinical trials of longer periods of time are needed in order to set a clear answer on the benefits of artichoke leaf extract. Soluble fiber Soluble fiber generally helps with lowering LDL cholesterol levels by simply reducing cholesterol absorption in the intestines. Cholesterol binds with soluble fiber so that it is excreted in a faster way. Soluble fiber can be found in two ways – as a dietary supplement such as psyllium powder or simply in foods such as: rye, oats and barley, legumes (such as beans and peas) and fruits (such as berries, apples and prunes), but also in vegetables (examples: carrots, broccoli, yams and Brussels sprouts) LDL cholesterol can be lowered with about 5 percent with a simple intake of 5 to 10 grams per each day of soluble fiber. The FDA allows soluble fiber products to indicate on the label that they are “heart-healthy”. Plant sterols and stanols Plant stanols are substances found in certain plants and they are naturally-occuring. Some examples of plant stanols and sterols are beta-sitosterol and sitostanol. Stanols can also be found as dietary supplements or are added to dressings, margarine and orange juice. It has been shown through studies that plant stanols and sterols do help lower cholesterol. Jean Helmet is a content editor who focuses on a wide array of niche health topics. Her latest website - Natural Cholesterol Supplement focuses on cholesterol as a whole, and in particular, a natural product our editors personally use with excellent health results known as - Cholest-Natural Be sure to check out our cholesterol product of choice, it is the natural supplement we use and recommend to friends and family, and have done for over 3 years. Related PostsPost a comment
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