Foods Containing Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, trout, herring, sardines, and mackerel) contain
omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to lower
triglycerides, a type of fat in the bloodstream. They have also been shown to:
It's important to remember, however, that these fish are not
HDL raising foods.
In addition to fatty fish, other foods high in
omega-3 fatty acids include:
Walnuts are another food that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and may reduce the risk for
heart disease. Walnuts are most beneficial when used to replace less healthy fats, such as saturated fat from meat; however, they have not been shown to
raise HDL or lower
LDL.
Dietary use of
garlic may lower some
types of cholesterol in the short term, but it does not appear to offer long-term protection against heart disease. While garlic may help to reduce LDL ("bad"
cholesterol) and triglycerides, it is not an HDL raising food.
Moderate alcohol intake actually does raise HDL cholesterol (
good cholesterol), but does not lower LDL cholesterol. Research studies have shown that HDL can be raised, on average, by 4.0 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) with moderate alcohol consumption.
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