Raising HDL

HDL levels can be raised by cooking with peanut or olive oil, eating peanut butter, peanuts, avocados, and olives. I like to use olive oil drizzled over my sub sandwich instead of mayo. I also use olive oil and garlic powder with a little salt to make garlic toast. It has a true Mediterranean flavor. When I buy olive oil I buy it in the 3 quart bottle at Sams so I have lots on hand. When I cook or use it as a condiment I splash it on and I always buy a good quality oil that I like the taste of right out of the bottle. You should enjoy the flavor of your olive oil so much that you could eat it with just bread dipped in it.

I put peanut butter in my oatmeal. I use black olives in casseroles, tacos, salads and relish trays and always keep an extra can on hand. I use peanut oil for stir fry. I buy almonds, walnuts and pecans and use them as snacks, on salads and in cooked cereal. And then there is the delightful guacofruit that you use to make guacamole, AVOCADOS!!! YUM! I spread it on lettuce with salsa and make heavenly roll ups! Or just eat 1/2 an avocado right out of the skin. Love them!

There are lots of good fats in these foods so they must be used in moderation but if you use them in place of margerine, salad dressing, butter, chips made with trans fats or other less healthy snacks your numbers will improve. Mine are great!