Question:

I had heard that one of the ways to lower cholesterol is to reduce caffeine intake to one or two cups of coffee per day. I drink green tea but have probably eight cups per day. Am I taking in too much caffeine?

Answer:

Reducing coffee to two cups per day is okay. If your green tea is quite weak, I guess eight cups per day isn't too much, but for variety maybe you could mix it up with some peppermint and chamomile.

Foods to eat to lower cholesterol

• Oats. Start the day with a nice old-fashioned bowl of porridge. It's very warming with winter coming on and an excellent choice to help lower cholesterol.
• Beans and lentils. Half a cup of beans per day, such as cannellini, butter or kidney beans helps to lower cholesterol. You can add these to your lunchtime salad, or crush them with some herbs, garlic and lemon juice to make a spread to use instead of butter or margarine.
• Fruit. Try any fruit, including fresh, dried, frozen or canned. Apples and prunes are good high-fibre choices.
• Walnuts. Eating 12g of walnuts per day has been found to lower cholesterol.
• Fish. Try at least two serves per week of fatty fish such as salmon or sardines.
• Oils. Use good oils such as olive oil, but you can also choose canola, peanut or avocado oil (not too much, though).
• Grains. Wholegrains and barley are especially good.
• Vegetables. Eat as many as possible and fill up on them.

Foods to avoid

• Fatty foods, fried foods.
• Butter and margarine.
• Full-cream milk.

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