DASH Diet: Learn how this practice can help lower cholesterol

More and more people are understanding that a balanced diet can be the solution to many health problems. In this sense, although cholesterol is very important for our body, when its levels are too high, they can become harmful. So, see now how the DASH diet can help lower cholesterol in the body.

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What is the DASH diet?

Before understanding how the DASH diet can help lower cholesterol levels, it is important to know what it is all about. Acting a little differently from traditional diets, DASH has a greater focus on choosing vegetables, legumes and whole grains to lower cholesterol levels.

In this sense, saturated fats, mainly from dairy products and meat, are more limited. In addition, sodium consumption also ends up being greatly reduced in this diet, as it can help increase high cholesterol. Therefore, the DASH diet is built according to each need, but keeping these focuses on building the diet.

How does the DASH diet work?

By incorporating the DASH diet, some elements are put into practice in the diet, such as, for example, the elimination of saturated fat. This is because this element is one of the main causes of increased cholesterol levels in our body.

Although many people don't know it, some types of meat have a high rate of saturated fats, as well as chocolates, processed foods, dairy products, baked goods, among others. Therefore, these items are generally not included in the DASH diet, so that their consumption is eradicated. On the other hand, as these items are not found in the diet, there is a greater intake of food rich in soluble fiber.

The main reason for this choice to be made is that, by consuming a greater amount of fiber-rich products soluble, digestion of these foods helps prevent the digestive tract from absorbing a large amount of cholesterol. Therefore, whole grains and fruits such as bananas and apples are prominent in the DASH diet.