What is Red Yeast Rice?

Red yeast rice is rice that has been fermented by the addition of yeast to red rice and is incorporated into many natural dietary supplements. It contains natural HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, which inhibit the enzymatic reaction that is necessary for production of cholesterol in the body, especially in the liver. The liver is considered to be the main site of cholesterol production, as it is responsible for over seventy-five percent of our total cholesterol supply. When cholesterol production is out of control, the liver needs red yeast rice to inhibit its action and decrease cholesterol production. Many studies have confirmed that red yeast rice has the ability to reduce total cholesterol by a significant percentage. It has also been found that red yeast rice contains unsaturated fats that may also help reduce serum lipids or blood fats that we call triglycerides. Red yeast rice supplements are made for individuals who suffer from cholesterol levels that are moderately high. When supplementing with red yeast rice, one should incorporate the supplement into an overall therapeutic strategy that utilizes diet and exercise. Instead of viewing red yeast rice supplements as a cure for a condition, they should be looked at as a natural way to help maintain desirable cholesterol levels. Anyone who has high cholesterol levels should talk to their physician before starting any new natural supplements. If your level is about 230, try talking to you doctor about using red yeast rice therapy before going on any prescription drugs. Red yeast rice has long been used in Asian cuisine, with usage dating back to 800 A.D. In south China, red yeast rice has been consumed as food stuff and also as a medicinal agent for over two thousand years. With records dating back to the fourteenth century, red yeast rice was used for the treatment of several maladies which included infections, circulatory problems, and stomach ailments. In more recent times, cultures in Japan, Thailand, India, Korea, and the Philippines use red yeast rice in cookery as well as a therapeutic compound. The popularity of red yeast rice in European countries has just taken hold over the last few decades. Today, red yeast rice is used in foods such as meat products, poultry, fish, ketchup, chocolates, cereals, jams, and beverages a rich, stable red color. Using red yeast rice is a great nontoxic way to color foods plus it remains stable even when it is exposed to high temperatures. When looking at medicinal value, scientists have classified many different species from red yeast. Scientific studies have confirmed that pharmacological qualities of this substance, especially when looking at its ability to reduce LDL cholesterol and blood triglycerides or fats. Although adverse effects to red yeast rice have been rare and are considered very mild, the list includes heartburn, flatulence, and dizziness. If you are thinking of supplementing with red yeast rice, be sure to check your cholesterol levels after a two-month course of therapy. Anyone who is taking prescription drugs to control cholesterol levels should not take red yeast rice without their doctor’s approval. Additionally, people who suffer from yeast allergies or have liver disease or infection should not use red yeast rice supplements with out consulting a doctor. If you are pregnant or breast-feeding you should avoid the use of red yeast rice supplements.

Cholesterol comes in two sizable forms and it is essential to not only conceive the divergence between the two forms, but also cognize the types of foods that swell “positive” cholesterol while lowering “bad” cholesterol. Only through such discernment can you choose a diet that can lower your risk of developing coronary heart sickness and help counter a heart attack or stroke.

HDL versus LDL Cholesterol

Cholesterol does not dissolve in the blood, it must be transported by lipoproteins to and from the cells within the body. HDL, or “agreeable” cholesterol is high-priced density lipoprotein and it carries up to 1/3 of the blood cholesterol throughout the body. HDL is considered “valuable” cholesterol because excessive levels of HDL have been shown to guard against heart affliction and heart attack. LDL, on the other hand, is considered to be “bad” cholesterol. When indulgent amounts of low density lipoprotein are in the blood, it can aggregate within the inner walls of the arteries over time and form plaque that can restrict blood flow through the arteries.

What Are The Sources of Cholesterol?

The cholesterol in your bloodstream comes from both the food you eat as well as naturally from your own body. Nearly 75 percent of the cholesterol located in your blood is produced by your liver and other cells within your body while the other 25 percent comes from the food you eat. LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, is produced naturally by the body, but hereditary elements may determinent your body to produce too much of the cholesterol. This is why it is relevant to make nourishing dietary choices to greater regulate the 25 percent of cholesterol production that comes from food.

What Foods Can We Avoid?

Food expensive in saturated and Trans fats: Avoid eating food stiff in saturated and trans fats. Read food labels to ascertain the quantity of saturated and trans fats they comprise. These labels will a remedy you avoid foods steep in fat and allow you to choose more nourishing alternatives. Also look for foods with the heart-check dwight symbol on their label. This label indicates that the food is approved by the American Heart Association as part of a energy-giving diet.

(NO! Not the ice cream!!) Whole fat dairy products: Avoid whole fat dairy products such as whole milk, butter, full-fat cheese and yogurt. If possible, substitute them with fat-free, reduced-fat or low-fat dairy products.

Foods stiff in dietary cholesterol: Avoid foods exorbitant in dietary cholesterol including whole eggs, shellfish, and organ meats. Compensate whole eggs with egg whites and organ meats with lean meats. As a goal, try to limit your intake of cholesterol to secondary than 300 mg a day.

Which Foods Lower “Bad” Cholesterol?

Almonds and walnuts: Almonds and walnuts have been shown to lower LDL, or “bad” cholesterol. Just about a handful of almonds or walnuts a days can significantly lower your cholesterol levels

while improving the health of your blood vessels.

Foods with soluble fiber: Oatmeal encompasses soluble fiber that can lower LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, while keeping HDL, or “agreeable”

cholesterol, equable. Additional foods containing soluble fiber include apples, pears, barley and rice.

Foods with omega 3 fatty acids: Fish takes in omega 3 fatty acids which have been shown to lower LDL while raising HDL cholesterol.

Recommended fish with omega 3 fatty acids include salmon, sardines, albacore tuna and mackerel. Food other than fish containing omega 3 fatty acids include canola oil, flaxseed and soybean oil.

How Can I Prepare My Befitting Diet?

Begin by determining your dietary goals. Do you need to lower your cholesterol considerably or only slightly? Do you yearn to lose weight at the same time as you lower your cholesterol? Will this be a short-term dietary change or a replete standing change?

Only once you know your goals can you properly plan your new diet plan and begin to lower your bad cholesterol and dwindle your risk of heart disease.