With the improvement of living standards, people's eating habits are gradually changing, and high-fat, high-sugar and high-salt foods have become frequent guests on the table. However, excessive intake of these foods often leads to elevated blood lipids, which in turn increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
In order to guide the public to form healthy eating habits, 92-year-old Academician Chen, an expert who has been deeply involved in the field of blood lipid research for more than 50 years, provided us with some valuable advice. In particular, he pointed out that in addition to meat food, some vegetables may also adversely affect blood lipids, and it is recommended that we try to stay away from them in our daily lives.
First of all, we need to understand the health hazards of elevated blood lipids. Blood lipids mainly include cholesterol and triglycerides, and when their concentration in the blood is too high, they will be deposited on the walls of blood vessels, forming atherosclerotic plaques, resulting in narrowing of blood vessels and poor blood flow, which may eventually lead to serious diseases such as myocardial infarction and stroke. Therefore, lowering blood lipids is essential for maintaining cardiovascular health.
Academician Chen reminded us that in order to reduce blood lipids, in addition to reducing the intake of meat foods, we should also pay attention to the intake of certain vegetables. In particular, he pointed out the following three vegetables:
High-starch vegetables such as potatoes, yams, taro, etc., are rich in carbohydrates, which are converted into glucose in the body, and then synthesized into fat. Long-term intake of high starch vegetables can easily lead to increased blood lipids. Therefore, the intake of these vegetables should be controlled in moderation in the diet, especially for people who already have dyslipidemia.
High-salt vegetables, such as pickles and pickles, contain a lot of sodium salt. Long-term high-salt diet can lead to excessive sodium ions in the body, causing water and sodium retention, which in turn increases blood volume and heart burden.
In addition, a high-salt diet may also cause vasospasm, aggravate the degree of atherosclerosis, and is not conducive to the control of blood lipids. Therefore, in order to maintain cardiovascular health, we should try to avoid high-salt vegetables and control our daily salt intake.
High-fat vegetables such as eggplant and pumpkin are not high in fat, but they are easy to absorb a lot of oil during cooking. Long-term consumption of these fried or fried vegetables can lead to excessive fat intake, which in turn leads to an increase in blood lipids. In order to reduce blood lipids, we should choose healthy cooking methods, such as steaming, boiling, stewing, etc., to reduce the amount of fat used.
After understanding these vegetables that are not good for blood lipids, we also need to master some effective ways to reduce blood lipids. Academician Chen suggested that we can start from the following aspects:
Dietary fiber can help lower blood cholesterol levels, promote intestinal peristalsis, and reduce fat absorption. Therefore, we should eat more foods rich in dietary fiber, such as oats, legumes, fruits, vegetables, etc.
Exercise boosts metabolism and accelerates fat consumption and excretion. It is recommended to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, such as brisk walking, swimming, jogging, etc.
Both smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can adversely affect blood lipids and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, we should quit smoking as soon as possible and limit alcohol intake.
Regular checking of blood lipid levels can detect dyslipidemia in time and provide a basis for early intervention and **. It is recommended that adults have a lipid profile at least once a year.