How is the health of your blood vessels? Do you know what lurks within? While many factors contribute to your body’s overall makeup, indulging in the right things, like the best drinks to reduce cholesterol, increases your chances of a long and healthy life. 

What should you fill your cup to the brim with? Improving what’s in your reusable beverage bottle may be the most effortless way to lower your LDL and triglycerides. 

What Is Cholesterol 

Cholesterol is a fatty substance that exists throughout your body. It helps you build cells and make hormones in the correct amounts, but trouble can occur when your levels get too high. Your liver typically produces all the cholesterol you need, with the remainder coming from animal products and certain plant oils, such as palm oil, palm kernel oil and coconut oil. 

The Two Types of Cholesterol and Triglycerides

Cholesterol comes in two forms: 

• LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, can raise your risk of heart disease and stroke by contributing to fatty buildup in your blood vessels. 
• HDL, or “good” cholesterol, carries some (although not all) of the bad cholesterol back to your liver to break down and pass from your body. 

Your blood vessels also contain triglycerides, which your doctor often measures when administering a cholesterol test. Although they are not cholesterol per se, a high triglyceride level contributes to the fatty buildup of LDL in arteries and veins, upping your stroke and heart attack risk. 

Risks Factors and Cholesterol

Heart attack and stroke are the greatest dangers of high cholesterol levels. When too much fatty buildup narrows arteries, blood can’t reach your heart or brain cells. For example, brain cells begin to die within minutes without oxygen. 

Being obese and having a family history of high cholesterol elevates your risk. However, your lifestyle and behavioral choices have a huge impact. A diet high in saturated fats, especially from animal products, is perhaps the biggest controllable contributor. While you don’t have to go vegan, eating a primarily plant-based diet while cutting back on red meat and dairy consumption can lower your numbers. Other factors within your power to change include: 

• Smoking narrows blood vessels, making them more likely to accumulate fatty deposits. 
• Neglecting your teeth, as recent studies suggest that inflammation stemming from gum disease contributes to poor heart health — the number one cause of death in America and the world. 
• Avoiding exercise, as regular movement dilates your blood vessels and improves circulation. 

Alcohol and Cholesterol

You may have heard that a glass of red wine is good for your cholesterol levels. You might have even thought, “Well, hey, if one is good, more must be better!” However, the opposite is true. While the resveratrol in grapes and other dark red fruits benefits heart health, you’re better off sticking to juice — or, better yet, the berries themselves. 

Occasional light drinking can raise your HDL or “good” cholesterol levels. However, it also increases your LDL and triglycerides, which increases your heart attack and stroke risk. Additionally, heavy drinking raises your blood pressure, which increases the stress load on your heart and blood vessels. 

5 Best Drinks to Reduce Cholesterol

Changing your diet, quitting smoking and starting an exercise program benefit your cholesterol levels — but also entail a bit of effort. If you want a lazy way to lower your numbers, fill your reusable water bottle with these five best drinks to reduce cholesterol. You may enjoy many of them already, but now, you have another reason to sip up. 

1. Tea

All tea — white, green and black — comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. The difference lies in how cultivators process the leaves. Research suggests that EGCG, a catechin found in tea, can lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels. Consuming two to eight cups of green tea daily lowers LDL and overall cholesterol. 

Best of all, tea is light, delicious and low in caffeine for those who get the jitters from too much go-juice. If you like a hint of sweetness, try adding honey, which is chock-full of antioxidants that also promote positive health. A dash of cream can settle your stomach if plain tea makes you feel a little queasy. 

2. Tomato Juice 

Tomatoes contain a compound called lycopene that can lower your LDL cholesterol levels. If you prefer a drink that isn’t sweet, sipping on this stuff can help your heart, although you must remain conscious of sodium levels — avoid adding extra salt.

3. Berry Smoothies

Berry smoothies are a delicious way to get your resveratrol to benefit your heart health without alcohol. For the best impact on your cholesterol levels, mix them with oat milk or a similar plant-based alternative to avoid consuming LDL. Oat milk also contains beta-glucans, a kind of soluble fiber that nurtures your microbiome and prevents cholesterol absorption in your small intestine. 

4. Kombucha 

Kombucha is made from fermented tea, so it has the same cholesterol-lowering catechins as a glass of the hot stuff. Additionally, it contains a probiotic-rich “mother” base, which can help replenish your microbiome — the good bacteria in your gut that your body needs for many tasks. Some studies suggest that one of their duties is to break down cholesterol, which can lower your numbers further. 

5. Hot Cocoa

Rejoice! Hot cocoa is one of the best drinks to reduce cholesterol, especially if you avoid animal-based milk. One recent study found oodles of goodness — it lowers your LDL levels, blood pressure and blood sugar. What a sweet discovery and way to sip your way to better health. 

Best Drinks to Reduce Cholesterol

High cholesterol levels increase your risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease. The good news is that you can control many of the risk factors contributing to the condition. 

One nearly effortless way to do so is through your beverage choices. Fill your cup with these best drinks to reduce cholesterol and enjoy better health with every sip. 

Author: Beth Rush