It's easy to eat your way to alarmingly high cholesterol levels. And the reverse is also true – changing what you eat can lower your cholesterol and improve the composition of fats that flow through your blood. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and "good fats" are all part of a healthy diet. But some foods are especially good at helping lower bad cholesterol (LDL). Here are 5 of those foods:
Oats. An easy way to lower cholesterol is to choose oatmeal or oat-based cereal for breakfast. It gives you 1 to 2 grams of soluble fiber. Add a banana or strawberries for another half gram.
Beans. Beans are especially rich in soluble fiber. It also takes time for the body to digest them, meaning you feel full for longer after a meal. That's one reason beans are a useful food for people trying to lose weight. With so many choices – from brown and kidney beans to lentils and more – and so many ways to prepare them, beans are a very versatile food.
Notes. Many studies have shown that eating almonds, walnuts, peanuts and other nuts is good for the heart. Eating 2 ounces of nuts a day can slightly lower bad cholesterol. Nuts have additional nutrients that protect the heart in other ways.
Foods fortified with sterols and stanols. Sterols and stanols extracted from plant gum increase the body's ability to absorb cholesterol from food. Brands add them to a wide variety of foods. They are also available as supplements. 2 grams of plant sterols or stanols per day can lower bad cholesterol by about 10%.
Fat fish. Eating fish twice or thrice can lower bad cholesterol in two ways:by substituting meat that has LDL-enhancing saturated fats and by providing LDL-lowering omega-3 fats. Omega-3s reduce triglycerides in the bloodstream and also protect the heart by helping to prevent the development of abnormal heart rhythms.
