Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance found in your body’s cells. Your body makes some cholesterol on its own. But cholesterol is also found in your diet, mainly in foods of animal origin, such as eggs, meat, and dairy.
Your body needs some cholesterol to function properly. For example, cholesterol is needed to make vitamin D, some hormones, and even substances called bile acids that help your intestines digest food properly. But consuming too much dietary cholesterol is thought to cause health problems.
In fact, excess cholesterol in your blood can combine with other substances to form plaque that sticks to the walls of your arteries. Plaque buildup (called atherosclerosis) can narrow or block your arteries and increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.
There are three types of cholesterol:
- HDL cholesterol, also known as high-density lipoprotein, helps remove excess cholesterol from the body. It is often referred to as ‘good’ cholesterol.
- LDL cholesterol, or low-density lipoprotein, can lead to plaque buildup in your arteries. It is often referred to as ‘bad’ cholesterol.
- VLDL cholesterol, or very low-density lipoprotein, carries triglycerides and can also contribute to plaque buildup in the arteries. VLDL is also considered ‘bad’ cholesterol.
High cholesterol (also known as dyslipidemia) can be inherited. But lifestyle factors, such as a diet high in saturated fat, not getting enough exercise, and smoking, can also contribute to high cholesterol. Maintaining a sedentary lifestyle and especially smoking can lower HDL (good) cholesterol levels, which can then cause LDL (bad) cholesterol levels to rise. Remember, HDL cholesterol helps remove LDL (bad) cholesterol from your body.
What are the benefits of exercise and a high fiber diet on cholesterol?
1. Benefits of Exercise for Cholesterol
There are two main ways that exercise can improve your overall cholesterol levels.
- Increase HDL Cholesterol
Exercise has been shown to increase HDL cholesterol in clinical studies. And a 2020 research review found that exercise is not only a useful therapy for increasing HDL levels, but also found that regular activity can improve its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In other words, physical activity can enhance HDL’s ability to help prevent certain chronic diseases in the body.
- Help maintain a healthy body weight
Exercise can also help you maintain a healthy body weight. Studies have shown that losing weight can help lower LDL cholesterol levels in people who are overweight or obese. In fact, research published in 2016 found that losing just 5–10 percent of your body weight can help you lower your triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol.
2. Benefits of Eating More Fiber on Cholesterol
Focusing on a nutrient-dense, plant-based diet can help lower cholesterol levels and help you achieve a healthy weight, which can help you manage your cholesterol better.
- Excreting Bad Cholesterol
A whole-food, plant-based diet is especially beneficial due to its high fiber content. Not only does it help lower cholesterol, it also supports overall health by providing nutrient-dense, fiber-rich foods and water.
Fiber in unprocessed plant foods binds to cholesterol in the digestive system, helping to remove cholesterol from the body before it can be absorbed into the bloodstream. Therefore, increasing your intake of fiber-rich foods is essential to promoting cholesterol excretion.
- Weight Loss
Eating more fiber promotes feelings of fullness, which helps regulate your food intake according to hunger signals, which can help with weight loss, an important factor in controlling cholesterol.
However, many people struggle with disrupted hunger and fullness signals, often eating for reasons other than actual hunger. Processed foods, including many fast and frozen foods, are often highly addictive, which can further complicate the problem.
