Five foods that can help lower bad cholesterol! (Watch slideshow)

The word 'cholesterol' seems to scare all of us. At normal levels, cholesterol that comes from two sources – your body and food - is essential and good for the body, but an excess of it poses serious threats to our health, including an increased risk of stroke and heart attacks.

Cholesterol can be classified into two categories: LDL or low-density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol) and HDL or high density lipoprotein (good cholesterol). Having healthy levels of both types of lipoproteins is important for you.

Here are five foods that can help lower bad cholesterol level in your body:

Turns out an apple a day can do you just as much good. Apple raises good cholesterol, lowers bad cholesterol and contributes to weight loss. This is due to the presence of pectin, polyphenols, fiber and phytosterols in apples.

Black beans, kidney beans, lentils – all are rich in soluble fiber, which can help lower cholesterol in the blood.   

Citrus fruits like oranges and lemons are rich in vitamin C, folate and hesperidin (a flavonoid) that can lower cholesterol levels in the body. Study shows that drinking orange juice can actually play a beneficial role in heart health by reducing LDL cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol.

Both black and green teas contain powerful antioxidants that may reduce cholesterol levels. However, green tea has a high content of catechin polyphenols which are great antioxidants. This will help you lower cholesterol levels as well as can prevent any blood clots that could form.  

Garlic, which is one of the most commonly consumed herbal supplements, has been dounf to lower cholesterol, prevent blood clots, reduce blood pressure, and protect against infections.

By: Salome Phelamei