A doctor has revealed that three beloved components of your christmas-dinner>Christmas dinner could be more than just a tasty treat – they could actually help lower cholesterol levels. Many of us look forward to a roast on the 25th, with millions of Brits tucking in to a traditional meal with all the trimmings.
While it is typically a very indulgent meal, often high in calories, it does come with some surprising health benefits. According to Doctor Avinash Hari Narayanan, clinical lead at London Medical Laboratory, some of these might seem surprising.
He explained: “This Christmas, it’s time to reassess cholesterol levels and welcome back some previously frowned-on foods to our menu.” Dr Avinash said that these foods could lower low density lipoprotein, also known as “bad” cholesterol, and even raise “good” cholesterol.
“Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) transports cholesterol to your arteries,” he continued. “It can lead to a build-up of plaque, resulting in poor blood flow. In general, the higher your LDL cholesterol levels, the higher your risk for coronary heart disease.
“On the other hand, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol can be called ‘good; cholesterol. Think of HDL as a vacuum cleaner for cholesterol. When HDL is at healthy levels in your blood, it removes extra cholesterol and plaque build-up in your arteries and then sends it to your liver.
“Your liver then expels it from your body. This helps reduce your risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke.”
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Turkey
According to the expert, having turkey as the centrepiece of your festive meal is good news for your cardiovascular health. Dr Avinash said: “There are plenty of foods popular during the festive season that can help lower your LDL levels, which improves your HDL to LDL ratio. The great news is that this includes turkey, that perennial Christmas favourite, along with several other festive foods such as chicken breast and salmon.
“That’s because research shows that fatty fish, chicken breast and turkey are good natural sources of niacin. Niacin is also known as vitamin B3. It can help lower cholesterol and other fats in your blood. Niacin helps raise HDL good cholesterol, lowers LDL cholesterol and also lowers another type of fat in your body called triglycerides.”
Vegetables
No Christmas dinner is complete without an array of seasonal veg on the side. “A 2016 study published in the journal Nutrients showed that an antioxidant-rich diet raised good cholesterol HDL levels in relation to triglycerides,” Dr Avinash said.
“Antioxidants can also help you stay healthy by preventing cell damage in the body. High antioxidant foods include beets, purple cabbage, kale and spinach. But what about that Christmas staple, Brussels sprouts?
“Brussels sprouts rank high in antioxidants, just after kale and spinach. Just a half-cup of cooked Brussels sprouts will give you almost half of your daily recommended amount of vitamin C.”
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Roast potatoes
While the method of cooking your Christmas spuds may not be the healthiest, there are ways around this. Dr Avinash added: “The good news is that the spud has zero fat and cholesterol and it is low in sodium.
“It’s also rich in antioxidants and vitamins that help our body function properly. Admittedly, roasting isn’t the healthiest way to prepare potatoes, especially if you are using lard or goose fat.
“Using unsaturated cooking oils such as olive oil is more heart-healthy. So, too, are low-fat sunflower cooking sprays and rapeseed oil. Rapeseed oil is particularly high in sterols.
“Sterols and stanols are plant chemicals that are absorbed into the bloodstream. They actually stop some cholesterol from being absorbed, lowering the levels in your blood.”
He also recommended berries as an antioxidant-rich dessert option for Christmas, and red wine as your alcohol of choice for its effect on blood vessels. However, he warned: “Obviously, there’s a catch! The key word when talking about the consumption of food and wine over the holidays is “moderation”.
“Every benefit we’ve mentioned is counteracted by too much LDL or alcohol. If people are concerned about their cholesterol levels as we approach Christmas, it’s best to get them checked.”