Living with high cholesterol may be a difficult health concern. If your cholesterol levels aren’t controlled, they may lead to blocked arteries and other cardiac problems. As a result, it’s important to monitor your levels and consume a diet rich in heart-healthy foods to help you manage your cholesterol. Yet many meals, such as bread, may provide both healthy and harmful options, depending on the kind and components.
If you like bread, you’ll be relieved to know that it does not normally boost cholesterol levels. In reality, bread may help decrease cholesterol, but only if you choose the right kind of bread and use it as part of a heart-healthy diet. The basic rule of thumb is to avoid harmful saturated and trans fats while opting for whole-grain breads high in fiber.
High cholesterol presents a major risk factor for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that over 70 million Americans had high LDL or “bad cholesterol” levels. Over two-thirds of those individuals did not have their cholesterol under control. Diet plays a significant role in cholesterol, and some foods such as bread can offer healthy and unhealthy choices, depending upon the type and the ingredients.
Contents
What is high cholesterol?
- When you have too much of a fatty molecule called cholesterol in your blood, you have high cholesterol.
- Eating fatty foods, not exercising enough, being overweight, smoking, and drinking alcohol are the primary causes. It may also be passed on via families.
- You may reduce your cholesterol by eating healthier and exercising more. Some folks must additionally take medication.
- Too much cholesterol might cause blood vessel blockage. It increases your chances of having heart issues or having a stroke.
- High cholesterol has no symptoms. A blood test is the only way to find out whether you have it.
Nutritional Information
The principal advantages of bread and cholesterol are related to its fiber content. White bread has 66 calories and 0.6 g of dietary fiber per slice. Whole wheat bread, on the other hand, has the same amount of calories as white bread but has 0.9 g of fiber. Both varieties of bread have less than 1 gram of saturated fat. However, bread’s total nutritional content varies greatly when additional elements contained in various varieties of bread and the toppings you prefer on your bread are included.
Saturated and Trans Fats
Almost all meals include some fat, which serves as a source of energy as well as a building block for cells and the production of hormones. Saturated fats should make up no more than 7% of your daily calories since they raise total cholesterol through increasing levels of bad cholesterol, or LDL. Excess LDL forms plaque in your arteries, impeding blood flow to the heart. According to Harvard Health Publications, trans fats are worse than saturated fats because they raise bad cholesterol while decrease good cholesterol. Trans fats should be avoided totally or limited to less than 1% of total calories.
Fats in Bread
Saturated fats are mostly found in meat, fish, poultry skin, and whole-milk dairy products. Trans fat is found in commercial baked products, processed meals, and fried foods. Most breads have little or no trans fats and are low in saturated fat. The quantity of saturated fat, however, varies depending on the variety of bread. Egg bread and cheese bread, for example, may have two to six times more saturated fat than any other variety of bread. You should also avoid butter rolls, croissants, and other breads that contain a lot of butter. Most breads are cholesterol-free, but keep an eye out for specialized breads packed with cholesterol-inducing components like egg and cheese.
High cholesterol presents a major risk factor for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that over 70 million Americans had high LDL or “bad cholesterol” levels. Over two-thirds of those individuals did not have their cholesterol under control. Diet plays a significant role in cholesterol, and some foods such as bread can offer healthy and unhealthy choices, depending upon the type and the ingredients.
Hold the Butter
What you put on your bread may influence your cholesterol intake and risk of heart disease. The calories in butter and olive oil are the same. However, the kind of fat varies, which influences the overall health value of bread in terms of cholesterol. Butter contains saturated fat. Because of the effects on cholesterol, the American Heart Association strongly advises you to reduce your intake of saturated fats. Instead, top your toast with a healthy option like almond butter, which is a polyunsaturated fat that may lower your cholesterol.
Which Types Of Bread Are Best For Lowering Cholesterol?
When selecting cholesterol-friendly bread, I check for two things:
- It should have a low saturated fat content (i.e. contain less than 1.5g per 100g).
- It should also be rich in fibre (at least 6g per 100g), but the more fiber the better.
Here is a list of the best breads to consume as part of a cholesterol-lowering diet:
1. Wholemeal (Wholegrain) Bread
Wholemeal bread is excellent for decreasing cholesterol because it contains the whole grain, including the outer fibre-rich bran layer.
These wholemeal loaves of bread are rich in fiber, low in saturated fat, and have no added sugar:
- Organic Wholemeal Bread from Cranks
- Wholemeal Medium Bread from Warburtons
- Wholemeal Pita Bread from Tesco
- Wholemeal Loaf from Morrisons
These cholesterol-lowering wholemeal breads contain additional sugar but are rich in fibre and low in saturated fat:
- Wholemeal Hovis Bread
- Tasty Wholemeal Medium Bread from Kingsmill
- Allinson’s Traditional Wholemeal Loaf
- Wholemeal Bread from Tesco
2. Seeded Bread
Because seeds are high in dietary fiber and good fats that may help decrease cholesterol, seeded breads are an excellent cholesterol-lowering option. Wholemeal (wholegrain) breads containing seeds are much superior.
These seeded loaves of bread are rich in fiber, low in saturated fat, and have no added sugar:
- Seeded Bloomer from Roberts Bakery
- The Rustik Bakery 5 Seed Sourdough Bread
- Waitrose Farmhouse Batch Multi-Seeded Bread
- Tesco Finest Super Seeded Bread
These cholesterol-lowering seeded loaves of bread are strong in fiber and low in saturated fat, however they include additional sugar:
- Kelkin Sourdough Multiseed Bread
- Schar Gluten-Free Seeded Loaf
- Gluten Free Five Seeded Bread
- Hovis Country Granary Bread
3. Rye Bread
Rye is packed in fiber and minerals, making it an excellent cholesterol-lowering component. These rye loaves of bread have more fiber than most other varieties of bread and are low in saturated fat, making them an excellent cholesterol-lowering option. They also don’t have any added sugar.
- Organic Rye Pumpkin Seed Bread from Biona
- Organic Golden Linseed Bread by Biona
- Rye Bread from Village Bakery
The one disadvantage of rye bread is that it has an acquired flavor, so you may prefer wholemeal or seeded loaves instead.
Heart-Healthy Diet
In addition to whole-grain and whole-wheat bread, try whole-grain pasta, high-fiber cereal, brown rice, oatmeal, and barley for whole-grain wellness. Whole-grain bread alone will not decrease your cholesterol. Fruits and vegetables, lean meat with all visible fat removed, skinless poultry, and low-fat or nonfat dairy products should also be included in your diet. Fish contains less saturated fat than beef and fowl. To help decrease cholesterol, eat seafood high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, herring, halibut, and tuna. Also, avoid slathering high-fat butter on your toast. Cholesterol-lowering spreads are an excellent substitute.
Cholesterol-lowering ways to eat bread
- Toast with almond or peanut butter and sliced banana
- Sandwich with smoked salmon and avocado
- Toast with baked beans
- Pita with falafel and houmous
- Toast with cottage cheese and apple