All about diet - cholesterol

According to the cholesterol charity Heart UK, the average total cholesterol level in the UK is higher than it should be. And since cholesterol is the single biggest risk factor for cardiovascular disease - the nation's biggest killer - that's not good news.

Current guidelines suggest a healthy cholesterol level is 5 or below - or less than 4 if you've been told you have a higher-than-normal risk. But the average in this country is 5.7, says Heart UK.

The rise in high cholesterol levels is undoubtedly linked to the current rise in obesity - as the more overweight you are, the higher your cholesterol's likely to be. But even thin people aren't completely off the hook, as high cholesterol is said to run in families. Many experts believe stress may not help, either.

The issue of cholesterol can be confusing because there are two different types. LDL cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein, is the type that blocks your arteries. HDL cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein, carries LDL in the blood back to the liver, where it's removed from the body. So to get an overall healthy cholesterol level (called total cholesterol), you need to produce less LDL and lots more HDL.

Luckily, you can help prevent your total cholesterol from skyrocketing, or even reduce it if it's already high. Exercise is important, as it helps raise your levels of HDL. But watching what you eat can also make a big difference, say experts. Some nutritionists believe that if you adopt a low-fat, healthy diet, you can reduce your cholesterol by between 5 -10 percent.

Certain foods also have proven cholesterol-lowering effects, so to keep high cholesterol at bay make sure you get plenty of the following in your diet:

Margarine

Well, not just any margarine, but spreads that contain substances called plant sterols and stanols. Experts claim there's good evidence that these margarines (as well as yoghurts, yoghurt drinks and cream cheese spreads) can help decrease cholesterol.

That's because sterols and stanols - which are naturally occurring substances found in plants and wood pulp - help your gut absorb less cholesterol. And that means a lowering of your LDL and total cholesterol levels.

Look out for special cholesterol-lowering ranges - such as Flora Pro Active and Benecol - in your local supermarket.

Garlic

According to The Garlic Information Centre there are more than 12 published studies that confirm garlic may help reduce cholesterol. In one study, patients in Germany who took garlic powder tablets saw their cholesterol levels drop by 12 percent after just 12 weeks.

However the evidence for garlic's cholesterol lowering capabilities is mixed, and experts still aren't sure whether the best way to take garlic is to use it fresh in cooking or to take garlic tablets. If you take any other medicines, especially anticoagulants (such as warfarin), do not take garlic tablets without first checking with your doctor or pharmacist.

Fibre

Experts believe if you eat lots of saturated fat - that is, fatty meats or anything made with full-fat dairy products or lard - your liver produces more cholesterol. But by eating foods rich in fibre, you'll be less likely to binge on fatty foods because fibre makes you feel full.

However, foods that contain a type of fibre called soluble fibre - such as oats, barley, fruit, veg, peas, beans and lentils - have a more specific cholesterol-lowering effect.

That's because one of the substances your body makes to digest fat, called bile acid, is made from cholesterol. Soluble fibre carries bile acids out of your body, which means your liver needs the cholesterol in your blood to make more. So by using the cholesterol in your blood to make bile acids in the liver, your LDL and total cholesterol levels drop.

Soya

Scientists first became interested in soya when they realised people in Asian countries, where food contains more soya than here in the West, have significantly lower levels of heart disease than we do. Indeed, several studies show that soya - or, rather, substances in soya called isoflavones - can help reduce your total cholesterol by up to 10 per cent.

Now, food manufacturers can officially state that 25g of soya protein, as part of a diet low in saturated fats, can help lower cholesterol. This means eating some soya at each of your three main meals - for instance, soya bean curd (tofu), soya yoghurt or soya beans - or twice a day in addition to taking soya milk in tea and coffee.

You can also boost your soya intake by eating bread that's been enriched with soya protein (look out for it at major supermarkets).

Olive oil

Confused about which vegetable oils are the healthiest? Stick to olive oil if you want to lower your cholesterol, say experts.

Olive oil reduces LDL and keeps your HDL levels high. Polyunsaturated oils - such as safflower, cornflower and sunflower oils - reduce your LDL, but they also bring your HDL levels down, making olive oil the healthier type for people watching their cholesterol.

Some nuts, which are good sources of both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, have also been found to help reduce cholesterol. In studies, almonds, walnuts and pecans have been shown to reduce LDL and raise HDL levels.

Marmite

Yeast extract spreads such as Marmite contain vitamin B3 (also called niacin), which experts believe increases HDL levels by up to 30 per cent.

If, however, you can't stand the taste of Marmite (well, they say you either love it or hate it) there are alternative sources of vitamin B3 - try tuna, fortified breakfast cereals, turkey or peanut butter.

Curry spices

There are two curry spices that look promising in terms of their ability to reduce cholesterol. Turmeric, the spice that gives curry it's distinctive yellow colour, has been shown in several studies to have cholesterol-lowering capabilities, as have fenugreek seeds.

Check your levels

If you're not sure what your cholesterol level is - or if you need to keep a regular check to make sure your levels are remaining healthy or coming down - many pharmacies now offer cholesterol testing services.