Vegetables Mean Health and Lowering Cholesterol

 

The 7 Best Frozen Vegetables for Better Cholesterol, Recommended by Dietitians

Keep your freezer stocked with these dietitian-approved, fiber-rich veggies. Your budget and heart health will thank you.

When it comes to managing high cholesterol, small dietary changes can help. Eating enough vegetables not only helps reduce high cholesterol but can actually prevent the condition. While you may think that fresh veggies are healthiest, think again. Frozen veggies are just as nutritious. Plus, they tend to be budget-friendly and have a much longer shelf life.

High cholesterol affects about 10% of U.S. adults. And having it puts you at a higher risk of developing heart disease and stroke.1 We spoke with registered dietitians and dove into the latest research to share the seven best frozen vegetables for lower cholesterol.

Are Canned and Frozen Vegetables Healthier Than Fresh?

1. Edamame

Edamame (aka young soybeans) is a good source of a key nutrient for cholesterol: soluble fiber. “Although fiber never enters the bloodstream, soluble fiber binds to bile in the digestive tract and carries it out of the body. The liver then uses cholesterol to create new bile, thus lowering blood cholesterol levels,” explains Stephanie Dunne, M.S., RDN, IFNCP, an integrative registered dietitian nutritionist and founder at Nutrition Q.E.D. Just 1 cup of frozen edamame contains 8 grams of fiber and 18 grams of plant-based protein.2

Edamame is also a source of isoflavones, compounds in soy products that may help lower cholesterol levels.3

You can find frozen edamame in the pod or shelled. “I always keep a bag of frozen edamame on hand to toss in salads, stir-fries and soups,” says Laura M. Ali, M.S., RDN, a culinary nutritionist based in Pittsburgh.

2. Green Peas

Green peas have 7 grams of cholesterol-lowering fiber per cup.4 Plus, they’re another plant-based source of protein, with 8 grams protein per cup. “Higher intake of plant-based proteins has been shown to be helpful with cholesterol as they are often lower in saturated fats,” says Patricia Kolesa, M.S., RDN, founder of Dietitian Dish LLC. In other words, replacing some animal proteins (think beef, sausage, bacon and deli meat) with peas can help lower your total saturated fat intake. Consuming too much saturated fat is associated with high levels of LDL cholesterol (known as “bad” cholesterol).5

Kolesa recommends tossing frozen green peas into pasta dishes, casseroles, stir-fries and soups or serving them as a side dish. If you’re looking for ideas, try our Pea Soup or Skillet Tuna Noodle Casserole. 

3. Spinach

Frozen spinach is jam-packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants to promote heart health. “Spinach is high in insoluble fiber and can help reduce LDL cholesterol levels. As a plant-based source of iron and protein, it’s also a great source of calcium, vitamin C and various antioxidants to help you stay healthy,” says Daria Zajac, RD, LDN, at The Polish Dietitian. 

This leafy green is also high in antioxidants, particularly one of them. “Spinach is rich in a compound called lutein, an antioxidant known to help reduce inflammation. Research suggests that lutein may help cholesterol oxidation, which may help prevent cholesterol from sticking to artery walls,” says Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDCES, FAND, a registered dietitian nutritionist and plant-based and diabetes expert. In fact, studies show that eating more dark leafy greens like spinach is linked with lower rates of cardiovascular disease.6

Zajac suggests adding it to stews, soups or your morning eggs. Added bonus: It goes great in your morning smoothie.

21 Recipes That Start with a Package of Frozen Spinach

4. Cauliflower

Cauliflower is another frozen veggie worth stocking up on. Heidi McIndoo, M.S., RD, the FoodieMomRD, recommends it for its heart-healthy fiber and lack of saturated fat. Each cup of frozen cauliflower has 3 grams of fiber—10% of the Daily Value.7

McIndoo notes, “It's delicious roasted with just a little olive oil and kosher salt, or fancy it up with a drizzle of Buffalo sauce before popping into the oven. You can also puree it after steaming it to turn it into a perfect substitute for some or all of the cream in cream-based soups and sauces like potato soup or fettuccini Alfredo.” Like McIndoo’s suggestion? Try our Roasted Buffalo Cauliflower version. 

5. Broccoli

Like the other veggies on this list, broccoli is rich in fiber and micronutrients. What makes it stand out is its glucosinolate content, particularly sulforaphane. This is a phytochemical found almost exclusively in cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. 

“Research suggests that sulforaphane may help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, both key factors that support heart health,” says Sheth. In fact, one small study found that eating about 1 cup of broccoli per day improved HDL cholesterol (known as “good” cholesterol) by 7.6% in female participants. In male participants, it reduced their total cholesterol by 10%.8

A bag of frozen broccoli can be used in anything from ramen noodles to mac and cheese to casseroles and more.

6. Brussels Sprouts

Each cup of Brussels sprouts has 2 grams of soluble fiber, the kind that’s especially helpful for lowering cholesterol.9 Brussels sprouts are also rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals that could provide more cholesterol-related benefits. 

“Brussels sprouts contain plant compounds, including kaempferol, which has both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Kaempferol has been linked to promoting heart health and lowering cholesterol levels,” says Sheth. A 2022 study in Phytotherapy Research found that eating more brassica vegetables like Brussels sprouts is linked to significantly reducing total cholesterol levels.10

Roasting them is one of the best ways to enjoy them. Browse through some Brussels sprouts recipes to spark inspiration.

7. Mushrooms

These earthy veggies are easy to toss in pasta dishes, add to pizza or sauté on their own. Plus, they have unique benefits when it comes to cholesterol. “Mushrooms contain beta-glucans, a type of soluble fiber known to help reduce cholesterol by binding to cholesterol-rich bile acids and removing them from the body,” says Lauren Manaker, M.S., RDN, LD, a registered dietitian based in Charleston, South Carolina. 

“Some studies suggest that certain varieties, like shiitake mushrooms, contain compounds that can further enhance cholesterol metabolism and promote heart health,” says Manaker. Other varieties shown to benefit cholesterol include enoki mushrooms, reishi mushrooms and portobello mushrooms.11

The Most Popular Beverage in the World - Tea.

 

I was tired of coffee, so I began dabbling in tea recently. Long ago I was introduced to Constant Comment tea in Moline. I enjoyed it while working all night in seminary. I took extra courses and needed to stay up to finish the papers. Tea was basic in Canada, so I got to enjoy tea at all the meals. 

I tried various flavors of tea, including chocolate mint. Flavored teas are difficult after the first surprise trial. I began wondering about green tea, black tea, and Earl Grey. My vegetable and tea consultant agreed that Earl Grey is the best since it adds bergamot (orange) to the tea. The scent of good Earl Grey tea is heavenly.

Videos on making and serving tea are numerous on the streaming platforms. One showed how all the teas around the world were grown. One tea was featured at the factory in England where about 40% of the tea in England is gathered and blended for use. The idea is to maintain the flavor while blending the teas.

Almost all the tea in the world is hand-picked. I saw only one example of harvesting with machinery.

Craving foods and beverages has come up in a number of books I am reading. Doctors point out that we develop a taste for something over time, making people avoid the taste of something new. My parents made me try all those farm vegetables they loved, and it took me a long time to see why. OK, it took about 60 years.

I do not think twice now about building up my supply of frozen kale, spinach, collards, lima beans, peas, mushrooms, tomato paste, fresh walnuts and blueberries. No colas, no juices, no frozen pizza, no ice cream. The transition is slow. 

The best part is getting the nutrition not found at all in processed food, which promotes fat, salt, and sugars. The daily walnut cure for cholesterol got me to look into the nutritional effects of greens, vegetables, fresh fruit, nuts, and seeds. 

I still read Dr. Joel Fuhrman, and I find enormous free sources from Dr. Michael Greger. I will post both below.

This is Greger's link - where I am going to look for more nutritional facts.

Antioxidents - https://nutritionfacts.org/video/flashback-friday-antioxidants-in-a-pinch/

Replacing Eggs and Toast with Oatmeal, Raisins, and Sliced Almonds

 

Doctors Fuhrman and Greger question the value of eggs, even in small quantities (Greger). I was thinking about the fat content and found out eggs are linked to cancer as well, because of choline.

Dr. Greger on eggs.

I was already changing from eggs when oatmeal was suggested as one of the whole grain substitutes for breakfast.

That reminded me of the days when my mother made hot oatmeal and enhanced it with brown sugar and raisins. The pep talks included "sticks to your ribs." Nostalgia.

When we ate breakfast cereal with milk and sugar, our cat would hop up on the table, look seriously at the colorful cereal package, and sneak a drink  of cereal laced with milk and sugar. If I annoyed the cat, she would return to reading the back of the cereal package. "You can't read, you phony!"

I ordered some whole oatmeal, read the package instructions, and added the raisins, almonds, and blueberries. Charlie Sue enjoyed finishing my breakfast and accepted some banana as well - her favorite fruit.

These are the buttons daily pushed by nutrition experts:

1. Whole grains
2. Blueberries
3. Nuts
4. Seeds
5. Greens
6. Vegetables
7. Fruits
8. Tea or coffee without sugar or calf-milk.

Nutritionist No-Nos:

• Calf-milk
• Eggs
• Salt injected chicken
• Cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese
• Beef and bacon
• Candy

I found the breakfast to be delicious, low in fat, very satisfying. 

My vegetable consultant got me interested in spices, which reminded me of my mother never using them - for decades. I also had unused spices because we seldom used them, but kept moving them from house to house. Centuries old spices are not that appealing, so I began trying out new ones. 

Many faux-spices are blends of something, with salt at the top of the ingredients list. I have some of those we used with steaks, but I am no longer a steak griller.  

I always loved anise on tomatoes, so I bought the fresh seeds for stew. Fuhrman really promotes seeds, and anise shows up on lists for being a beneficial seed for health. Anise is great in stew, so I use that or Italian seasoning or both.

Tumeric - wild ginger - is known for pain relief. I was shocked to find it was used as a ginger on food. Who knew? Tumeric in capsules is much more expensive than ground tumeric for seasoning.

The nutritionists emphasize that the vegetable-fruit-greens-seeds variety is ideal for getting all the benefits of God's Creation instead of letting big industry and big ice cream trucks fill us with the all-American diet: sugar, salt, and fat.

Be different. Eat healthy!

Nutrition - Bad and Good: Brief List

 

 DQ - while others were posing for a photo, I struck.

Bad Nutrition Metrics Can Be Photographed at WalMart, 

Any Major Grocery Store, Fast Food, Or Delivery

"The perfect commodity - make them for pennies, sell them for dollars, and they are addicting." Donuts and ice cream, not to mention cigarettes. 

1. All milk products are loaded with fat, and some (like cheese) also with salt. That includes cottage cheese, yogurt of all kinds, "skim milk." Ice cream and DQ are high in fat and sugar. 
2. Breads and rolls are mostly white flour, which like white rice and sugar, offer quick energy, quick hunger, and quick fast.
3. The stores do their best to promote impulse items facing them - candies, diet candies, chocolates, cheap chocolates, sugar-based candies and caramels, chips of every flavor with tons of salt - white flour - and fat.
4. The grocery workers laugh at families who buy breakfast cereal, colorful and sweet, loaded with white flour, enchanting with the artwork grabbing the attention of the kids riding first class in the cart. New baby mothers buy little sweet puff balls and other mouth opiates. French fries are ideal in the car, with the trifecta of potatoes, fat, and salt, matching the muffins and sandwiches. 
5. The grocery store equation adds so much more with aisles packed with soft drinks and "diet" soft drinks of all types, a magnificent display, including salty fizzy water, very much like the colas but without taste.
6. The chips aisle is also a display of our contempt for the fatty treats, the salty treats, and the fatty salty treats cooked in grease - or baked - so fulfilling every few hours.
7. The pharmacy - a big money-maker - treats symptoms, seldom the disorder. They like to sell expensive protein and milk products with questionable results.
8. Meat is essential, but it can be overdone in various ways. 

The Edible Pharmacy - 

Greens, Beans, Mushrooms, Vegetables, Fruit, Nuts, Seeds

Produce is necessarily healthy, and the frozen greens, beans, and fruit are exception in nutritional value.

• The smallest part of a grocery store, missing at fast food places, bakeries, and candy stores, is nutrition.
• Chopped frozen greens are incredibly powerful in reducing hunger, slowing down digestion with fiber, and unleashing a powerful blend (varying) of nutritional benefits. Popular chopped frozen greens are: spinach, turnip greens, kale, and collards. They are quadruplets with four different blends of nutrition. 
• People laugh about beans, even though the great orator Cicero was named Chick Pea in Latin. Beans are packed with protein, fiber, and a variety of nutrition. Some of my favorites are chick peas, lima beans, and kidney beans. They are low fat (unless bacon is added) and low salt (watch the labels).
• Lunch for Charlie Sue and me - greens, chick peas, walnuts, lima beans, flax seed, blue berries, onions and peppers, and sliced sausage. Charlie Sue only eats the sausage.
• In produce I buy apples, bananas, blue berries, oranges, pears, pineapples - not all at the same time. I aim at 4 to 6 fresh fruits a day.
• Walnuts are the inexpensive statins I use (no prescription required), and I have some ground flax seed each lunch.
• Dr. Joel Fuhrman's works have encouraged me to have daily doses of greens, beans, fruits, nuts, and seeds. I also have mushrooms for each meal.

 Many roses grow hips, which are fruiting pods filled with Vitamin C.

Back to the Kitchen, Garden, and Farm

 

One reader kidded me about having more nutrition posts, and I am glad to do that. About 99% of health advice is phony, extreme, super-expensive, and laughable.

The hilarious efforts to waste our money comes from fads with special names and long, polished presentations just full of "Wait! there's more!"

Call me fanatical, but I see the largest part of the grocery store dominated by 

• Salty fatty snacks
• Sugary cereals
• Salty, fatty pizzas and prepared meals
• Sugared candy and ice cream
• Fat-loaded milk, cream, butter, cheese (salty too!)
• Salt-fat-sugared meats.
• Soft drinks, juice drinks, and liquor.

Fortunately, the pharmacists are locked up in their nasty cages to protect the medicines and dispense cures for all that is consumed. As a Walmart alumnus, I enjoy seeing the stacks of peanut oil waiting to be used on hapless turkeys sacrificed for the holiday season. "Are you out of peanut oil?" GJ - We have the smaller tins. "They cost more!" GJ - "Thanksgiving is tomorrow. Start earlier."

Slow was the switch from bad-foods-requiring-medicine (insulin, etc) to good-foods-as-medicine. I had a blood panel that revealed Walmart and Schwan writing checks that my body could not cash. I looked at some fad programs (robbery!) and settled on the famous but overlooked Eat To Live by Joel Fuhrman. I have sent his Super Immunity to a number of people because that book resists the temptation to tell it all with endless studies, dates, and complexities.

The Lord of Creator fashioned these food groups for our benefit, and they happen to be inexpensive.

1. Leafy Greens.
2. Vegetables - without potatoes.
3. Fresh fruits, including berries.
4. Nuts and seeds.
5. Meats.

Yes - I Get Free Gym Visits via Social Security's Silver Sneakers

 

Hi, Super Star.   Congratulations! You know what it takes to live your best life. You’ve visited a gym or attended virtual classes at least 50 times, and you’re now part of the SilverSneakers® Gold Club!   We want to celebrate you and your dedication with a certificate for your accomplishment.

I kept increasing the number of visits to Planet Fitness because regular exercise:

• Eliminates and prevents pain.
• Boosts metabolism.
• Strengthens bones and tendons.

I started at one or two workouts a week, but that tended to weaken to once a week. I went to three per week, but that often ended up twice a week. I settled on aiming at five weekdays, assuming four or three visits at the least. Rigorous gardening equals one workout.

I usually skip breakfast. This is my favorite lunch after a workout:

1. Huge amount of chopped spinach, half bag.
2. One can of chick peas aka garbanzo beans, low sodium 120 mg salt, not Bush or flavored beans.
3. Sliced frozen mushrooms.
4. Slices of smoked beef or chicken sausage.
5. Tomato paste for lutein and flavor.
6. Sliced frozen carrots.
7. Green and red peppers and onions.
8. Walnuts.

This is very low calories, low salt, and inexpensive. My two quart lunch costs $6, and sometimes I use the overage for supper. Fiber, protein, and many forms of nutrition are included, but very little fat, salt, or sugar.

The Medical Industry Is Thriving on Bad Medicine

 

When we were young - painful, expensive and ineffective medicines were far from our minds. I remember hearing countless vague words like - "Try this."

I went without medical insurance years ago because the industry had jacked up prices too high. The Blue Cross B.S. plan went up to a $5,000 deductible price before coverage began.

Now I am in Medicare plus B, which is no bargain. It covered only part of eye surgery, but I covered the deductible that Medicare did not pay - no problem. My eyedrops are $0 per month.

Many problems of the heart and lungs can be fixed with the best medicine of all - eliminating processed junk food and returning to what the farmers used to eat for low-cost meals - vegetables and fruit. Weight loss and good food go a long way in preventing high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, and the pitfalls of digestion.

The Lord of Creation engineered the human body to have a liver that could handle almost anything, because that is the key to using combinations of food to build and repair our bodies. The digestion complex includes many different ways of using our customized chemical labs. I am just starting to learn how our insulin works - and believe me - insulin does NOT cure diabetes. 

People hammer their liver and pancreas organs with tobacco (an insecticide) and alcohol in abundance, leading to fatty malfunctioning livers, blood sugar problems often ignored.

People drink "energy" drinks that harm the body without immediate consequences. A local teen came into the doctor's office with a 300 blood pressure from "energy" drinks. He did not feel it, but it went well over double the normal figure.

Most of the "good food supplements" are combinations of milk, sugars, fats, and whack-a-doodle vitamins/minerals. Profits soar, weight does too. 

Epigram of the year - "We are the only mammals that drink the nursing food of another mammal - the cow - a food created only for baby cows."

The Green Four

Fun fact - the cheapest, most satisfying, and nutritious foods in the grocery store are right off the farm:

1. Fresh or frozen vegetables
2. Greens (spinach, kale, collards)
3. Fresh fruits
4. Nuts and some seeds (flax, sesame).

When the Green Four dominate the grocery list and diet, weight goes down, the body mends itself, and the drooling lust for fast foods, desserts, and candy goes away (albeit slowly).

I am not a vegan or vegetarian, and I eat chicken several times each week - not to mention a little ice cream. I find really good bread far more tempting than ice cream and they are very good at wrecking Green Four's progress.

The best sources are the books by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. I have about five Fuhrman titles. I often go over them because they are loaded with sound information that checks out with other experts. I also reseach facts about food on the Net. Before I picked up Eat To Live, I knew nothing about nutrition, and what I imagined knowing was bogus.

Nutrition versus the Sugar-Fat-Salt Diet

 

I got past the temptations of Christmas at the same weight, even though someone gave me a large container of Werther's. I enjoyed several hand-made treats - pumpkin and apple pie. I tore off the wrappings and baked them myself - to perfection. 

I now look at food purchases closer to the raw level, such as:

1. apples, oranges, pineapple, and blueberries,
2. frozen peas, chopped greens, mushrooms, peppers and onions, broccoli, brussels sprouts.
3. canned beans, tomato paste.

Just as Dr. Joel Fuhrman predicted, craving sweets and the prepared sugar-fat-salt items has mostly faded away. Traditional nutritious foods become delicious and very satisfying when they become habitual.

The permanent no-no list includes cheese (fat-salt), prepared meals (very salty), juices (aka sugar water), fast foods (sugar-fat-salt), eggs (fat), milk (fat), popcorn/Fritos (fat-salt-carbos), soda pop (sugar-salt), and expensive water (high salt).

Most of the medicines sold at high prices are symptom relievers at best. Often they create problems in other areas. Over-the-counter miracles are also expensive and mostly useless.

I look at nutrition books and Internet articles to see what I should cook or eat raw. Many long-term problems are addressed with the best and cheapest foods. Excess weight is bound to cause heart, blood pressure, and blood sugar problems. 

Breakfast with the Squirrels - And Squirrel Archive

 

I provide a lot of leftover fruit for the birds, squirrels, and possums. One pineapple was so aged in the refrigerator that I cut slices into its rugged hide and tossed it outside for the evening possum visit. The pineapple evaporated overnight.

Today I had two fat slices of pineapple for breakfast. The fruit is loaded with Vitamin C and manganese - and also helps the sinuses.

I hope the Jackson have breakfast ready.

I quarter the slices and eat them down to the armored shell. I put them on the recycle bin lid and waited. Soon a plump squirrel was sitting on his haunches and eating the pineapple shell with great gusto. Soon a group of squirrels began an assault on his lofty position and began chasing each other around the yard, up and down trees as well - very entertaining. Later the scraps were gone and I left some apple cores.

Dr. Fuhrman expects me to eat 4-6 fruit servings a day, which is fairly easy once fruits and vegetables displace Fritos, Christmas candy, fast food, cheese, eggs, and large portions of meat. 

If the ratio of candy sales to fresh frozen vegetables does not appall the shopper, then one can calculate the cost of the sugared nostrums in the pharmacy area. A large share of the over-the-counter cures are sugar-based and considered useless but tasty. I said it before - ground up fiber sold at a high cost is far more profitable and less effective than fibrous foods - beans, peas, fruits, etc. 

Who buys and uses Metamucil? Correct - those with bad digestion are ample proof that the nostrum does not work, except for making fruit and vegetable addicts shudder with horror.