Wednesday, January 15, 2025
HomescienceA common fruit in Portugal that lowers cholesterol and is good for...

A common fruit in Portugal that lowers cholesterol and is good for the heart.

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ShA study published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Eating two apples a day not only reduces total cholesterol in the body, it also improves other biomarkers of heart health.

To reach these conclusions, they evaluated 40 volunteers who had total cholesterol levels slightly above the recommended level. Finally, the study also showed that the benefits were most pronounced when apples were consumed fresh rather than in juice.

Scientists attribute the good results to pectin, a protein found in abundance in fruits that has an effect similar to that of probiotics. Pectin improves the diversity of intestinal microorganisms and prevents excessive absorption of fats by the body.

Read also: Nutritionist tells you what you should do to lose weight this month

Remember that there are two types of cholesterol: HDL (high-density lipoprotein) and LDL (low-density lipoprotein). The former, also known as “good cholesterol,” is responsible for removing excess cholesterol from the blood and what is deposited in the arteries, and returning it to the liver where it is eliminated. LDL, the “bad cholesterol,” transports cholesterol from the liver to the tissues where it can be used. When it is in excess, it is a risk factor associated with cardiovascular disease.

The recommended values ​​for blood cholesterol are:

Total cholesterol – LDL cholesterol – HDL cholesterol – > 40 mg/dL in men and > 45 mg/dL in women

Read also: Tips to know if fruit is ripe (nothing requires squeezing!)

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