As you get older, it becomes more and more important to pay attention to your cholesterol levels as they tend to increase with age. High cholesterol levels increase your risk of getting coronary heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases. One relatively easy way to combat high cholesterol levels is by making some changes to your diet and consuming foods and supplements that have been shown to be beneficial in managing high cholesterol levels. But first, let’s go through a brief primer on cholesterol and what it does to your body.
HDL vs. LDL Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a compound that is not entirely harmful—it is needed in the formation of healthy cells. But not all cholesterol is the same. There are two main types of cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). In your body, cholesterol is carried inside lipoproteins. HDL is generally thought of as “good” cholesterol because it absorbs and transports cholesterol to your liver to be removed from your bloodstream before excess cholesterol can build up in your arteries. In other words, HDL helps to get rid of excess cholesterol. LDL, on the other hand, is considered “bad” cholesterol because it carries cholesterol directly to your arteries, where it may accumulate on the walls of your blood vessels. This build-up of plaque (i.e. atherosclerosis) causes your blood vessels to narrow, hinders blood-flow to and from your heart and other organs in your body, and increases the risk of blood clots. This blocking of blood-flow in your arteries can lead to many health problems—heart disease, strokes, and heart attacks.
With this in mind, the higher your HDL levels, the better; and the lower your LDL levels, the better.
HDL levels for women should be at least higher than 55 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), and 45 mg/dL for men. LDL levels for men and women should be no more than 130 mg/dL if you don’t have any underlying heart conditions or diabetes. If you do have these conditions, your LDL level should be no more than 100 mg/dL.
However, after menopause, women’s LDL levels tend to increase while their HDL levels decrease. Other lifestyle factors that can contribute to an increase in LDL and total cholesterol levels include: a lack of regular exercise, smoking, a diet high in saturated and trans fats (saturated fats instruct the liver to produce more LDL cholesterol), and excessive consumption of processed foods.
There are some basic lifestyle changes you can make to manage your cholesterol levels:
If you’re a smoker, stop smoking. Smoking lowers HDL levels and is also harmful for your blood vessels, which makes them even more vulnerable to plaque build-up.
Exercise regularly—at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Eat a healthy diet and limit your consumption of the following: full-fat dairy products (these are rich in saturated fats), red meat, processed food, fried food (these contain high levels of trans fats, which increase LDL levels) and other foods that contain high amounts of saturated vegetable oils.
Introduce some key ingredients—such as ginseng and turmeric—into your diet that can be helpful in managing high LDL cholesterol levels. The rest of this article will focus on exploring dietary changes that can help reduce LDL and total cholesterol levels.
What Are Supplements?
Supplements can be any kind of vitamin, minerals, herbs, botanicals, and amino acids that you can eat or drink. They come in various forms such as:
Pills
Powders
Tablets
Capsules
Liquids
The main function of supplements is to supplement one’s existing nutrition. While vitamins and tablets can help one’s health, they are not meant to take the place of a healthy and nutritious diet and lifestyle.
That being said, taking the right supplements with a nutritious and well balanced diet can provide a host of health benefits.
Foods and Supplements to Manage High Cholesterol Levels
1. Garlic
It may leave you with pungent breath, but eating garlic is an inexpensive way to combat high cholesterol levels. Studies found that consumption of raw garlic can decrease total and LDL cholesterol levels—half to one clove of garlic per day lowers cholesterol levels approximately 10%, while a 2016 review of studies on garlic found that garlic can reduce total cholesterol by up to 30 mg/dL. Garlic is quite a versatile culinary ingredient: you can chop up raw garlic and add it to salads, or simmer it in olive oil and use this as a dressing, spread, or dip. Of course, eating garlic alone won’t be enough to fully reduce your cholesterol levels, so be sure to adopt other measures in conjunction.
2. Soy Products
Soybeans and foods made from them (like tofu and soy milk) can help to lower LDL cholesterol—25 grams of soy protein (equivalent to around 2.5 cups of soy milk) per day can lower LDL cholesterol by 5% - 6%. This is a relatively small reduction, so it’s obviously not going to be sufficiently effective in preventing cardiovascular disease by itself.
3. Beans, Oats, and other foods rich in soluble fiber
Beans and oats are examples of foods that are especially rich in soluble fiber. Foods that are rich in soluble fiber are effective in lowering LDL levels because soluble fiber binds to cholesterol in the digestive system and removes it from the body before the cholesterol gets into circulation. You should aim to consume at least 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber per day.
4. Ginseng
Ginseng has been documented to have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. A study conducted on postmenopausal women showed that ginseng has the beneficial effect of markedly decreasing LDL cholesterol levels and thereby helping to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women; while another study found that the consistent consumption of ginseng root powder lowered LDL cholesterol levels. More generally, ginseng has been shown to have anti-atherosclerotic and anti-inflammatory effects. Apart from its cardiovascular benefits, ginseng has long been recognized for its ability to boost the immune system and fortify the body.
5. Turmeric (Curcumin)
Turmeric, that vibrant yellow spice that is often found in Southern Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine, has long been used as a traditional treatment for inflammation and infections, but it also has cardiovascular-protective effects. Turmeric contains an active compound, curcumin, that has been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol levels—one study concluded that curcumin can be used as a more natural alternative to conventional drugs for protecting against cardiovascular disease. More specifically, another study determined that turmeric extracts lowered LDL cholesterol levels and also prevented LDL from being oxidized—a key prevention because the oxidation of LDL is crucial to the development of atherosclerosis.
In addition to turmeric’s benefits for cardiovascular health, studies have suggested that turmeric also has anti-inflammatory, immune-regulatory, anti-cancer, and neuroprotective effects.
6. Black Pepper (Piperine)
Black pepper contains a key bioactive compound called “piperine” that has been linked to
better heart health and better management of cholesterol levels. Its cholesterol-lowering effects have been examined in a number of studies—one study found that piperine reduces cholesterol uptake by internalizing cholesterol transporter proteins, while in another study, the ingestion of a black pepper extract over 42 days was linked to a substantial decrease in blood cholesterol levels, including LDL cholesterol.
It’s obviously going to be tricky and rather impractical to consume sufficient quantities of black pepper every single day, and to keep track of how much you are consuming so that you know you are consuming enough piperine for it to have a significant effect on your cardiovascular health. Instead of dousing your food with black pepper, your best option is to look for a highly-concentrated piperine extract. One of the most established piperine extracts is BioPerine, which offers the benefits of piperine in a more bioavailable and highly concentrated formulation (bioavailability being the proportion of the compound that is able to enter circulation and have an active effect on your body).
Top 3 Cholesterol Management Supplements
We here at Superfood Reviews have done the research to find out what the best option for cholesterol management supplements in the market is. We have graded each choice through a stringent grading based on the following criteria:
Our evaluation criteria:
In our search for the best ingredients and supplements, we have researched and tested supplements in various form factors, namely: softgels, capsules, edibles, and drinks. After extensive work done, we have narrowed down the selection to the top 3 supplements with the best cholesterol management properties and ingredients.
The overall comprehensive cholesterol management supplement, in our view, is The Purest Co's Ginseng Turmeric Superjuice, given the high quality clinically-tested ingredients used, and also its superior bio-absorption liquid delivery form.
PROS
Potent formulation with 250mg of industry-leading Curcugen™ turmeric extract
Contains complementary ingredients such as BioPerine® and also Ginseng extract
Made in an FDA and HACCP certified facility in Taiwan
No unnecessary additives or fillers 30-day risk free satisfaction guarantee
Highly rated for customer experience
Free express delivery on all local orders
CONS
Only available online
Regularly out of stock due to high demand
BOTTOMLINE
Since it may be relatively inconvenient to obtain and prepare ginseng, your best option for incorporating it into your diet on a daily basis is to look for a ready-to-consume product, like The Purest Co’s Ginseng Turmeric Superjuice, which comes packaged in daily sachets for fuss-free consumption. In addition to American Ginseng (200mg per serving), this Superjuice is also formulated with turmeric and black pepper BioPerine (discussed below)—all three of which have been linked to a reduction in LDL cholesterol levels.
The Purest Co’s Ginseng Turmeric Superjuice, which contains 250mg of Turmeric Curcugen per serving, is one of the best turmeric extracts on the market because its formulation is 39-times bioavailability enhanced, which means your body will be absorbing more curcumin than other turmeric supplements. Moreover, the three main key ingredients of this Superjuice (ginseng, turmeric, and black pepper) all complement each other and work synergistically to enhance each other’s efficacy (more on this below).
The Purest Co’s Ginseng Turmeric Superjuice utilizes BioPerine in its formulation, and enhances the beneficial effects of piperine by formulating it with turmeric (curcumin) and ginseng. BioPerine works especially well with these latter two ingredients because it enhances their efficacy by 16-20x by increasing your body’s absorption of curcumin and ginseng. Indeed, studies have suggested that taking piperine in conjunction with curcumin can increase curcumin’s bioavailability by up to 2000%.
*Results are based on Superfood Reviews system and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
PROS
Contains 500mg of industry standard turmeric extract
No unnecessary additives and fillers
Widely available both online and offline
Vegetarian, gluten and yeast free
CONS
Does not use premium turmeric extract
Pills have less bioavailability than liquids
No presence of complementary ingredients, especially BioPerine®
Divisive feedback from some consumers
BOTTOMLINE
Standardized Turmeric Curcumin by GNC is a good option from a brand that is well known in the country for affordable options.
Each pill contains 500mg of industry standard turmeric extract, and while not as potent as our first choice, this still provides a good option for consumers.
This vegetarian-friendly formula has no unnecessary additives, but also omits certain complementary ingredients such as BioPerine®, which would help enhance the benefits of the product.
We feel that overall, the Standardized Turmeric Curcumin by GNC is a good no-frills choice for a consumer who wants an industry standard turmeric extract in pill form.
*Results are based on Superfood Reviews system and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
PROS
House brand of a reputable medical provider
Affordable option
Widely available online
No added starch
Manufactured in USA
CONS
Low amount of turmeric extract - 50mg
Pills have less bioavailability than liquids
No presence of complementary ingredients, especially BioPerine®
BOTTOMLINE
Raffles Medical is affiliated with Raffles Medical, a well-known healthcare provider in the country. Their house brand turmeric extract is manufactured in the USA and is widely available online to purchase.
Their product contains 450mg of turmeric root, but only 50mg of turmeric extract, which is low. As turmeric extract is the focal point of these supplements, this option will not be as beneficial as other choices with higher quantities of turmeric extract.
Additionally, there is no presence of BioPerine® or any other complementary ingredients.
Diving into customer experience, it seems that Raffles Health may not take the customer experience too seriously, and there may be some negative feedback on that front.
That being said, this option is an affordable one and may be for customers who are looking to try a turmeric extract before moving onto higher quality options.
*Results are based on Superfood Reviews system and do not necessarily reflect typical results from the use of these products. Please visit product websites for more information.
OUTLOOK
To sum up, if you’re looking for a dietary supplement that can help target rising cholesterol levels, it is better to pick a product whose formulation has not just one but multiple ingredients that have been shown to help manage rising LDL cholesterol levels; and it is even better if these ingredients have been formulated in such a way that they work synergistically to enhance each other’s therapeutic effects.
Adding a daily supplement on top of a change in diet and lifestyle will not only help lower your cholesterol levels but, this can also improve and maintain your health.
These supplements are merely suggestions. Consult your doctor for more information regarding the right way to manage your cholesterol.
