How to Eat to Lower Your Cholesterol

Eating the right foods can help you control your cholesterol levels. Consuming a diet based on whole foods including vegetables, meats, fish, whole grains, and dairy while limiting your consumption of processed foods can help support healthy cholesterol levels. Adding cholesterol-friendly foods like nuts and avocados can also help lower your cholesterol.

Method 1 - Adopting Healthy Eating Habits

1

→ Base your diet on whole, unprocessed foods. The first step to lowering your cholesterol through food is to start basing your diet on whole foods and limiting the consumption of processed foods. This means eating foods that have been minimally processed or not processed at all.

→ Eat whole grains like brown rice or whole wheat pasta, oats and barley.

→ Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Apples, grapes, strawberries and citrus fruits are rich in soluble fiber called pectin that lowers cholesterol. Try making a smoothie each morning to get the recommended five to seven servings each day.

→ Stick to lean, unprocessed meats. For example, choose chicken breast over a hot dog.

2

→ Plan your meals and shop weekly. Adopting new food practices means taking some time to plan for meals and then shop for the necessary ingredients. Set aside 30 minutes each week to plan your meals.

→ Try making a master list of healthy and easy weeknight dinners. When you sit down each week to meal plan, you can draw from this list.

→ Ask your family to help with meal planning. Let them look over your master list and make suggestions for the week ahead.

3

→ Cook meals at home based on whole foods. Whenever possible, cook your own meals or eat foods you have previously prepared at home. This will give you control over the ingredients and allow you to make healthy food choices.

→ Prepare foods ahead of time like chopped raw vegetables, grilled chicken breasts, or brown rice. These can easily be turned into a variety of whole foods-based meals during the week.

→ Try making rice bowls for an easy weeknight dinner. Top bowls of brown rice with your favorite meats, vegetables, and seasonings. Try brown rice topped with grilled chicken, black beans, veggies and salsa. You can even make the rice and grill the chicken ahead of time.

Method 2 - Eating Foods To Support Healthy Cholesterol Levels

1

→ Switch to olive oil. If you’re not already using olive oil as your primary oil, you should be. Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fatty acids which lower “bad” cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels when compared to corn oil.

→ Olive oil is also rich in nutrients essential to cell health, as well as vitamin E.

2

→ Eat high-fiber whole foods like oatmeal, kidney beans, and apples. These all contain soluble fiber which reduces your “bad” cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) by making it more difficult for your blood to absorb cholesterol. Aim for 10 grams of soluble fiber each day.

→ Try fiber-rich fruits like bananas, apples, pears, and prunes.

→ A cup and a half of oatmeal will provide you with 6 grams of fiber and is an easy breakfast option.

3

→ Eat fatty fish at least twice a week. Fatty fish are rich in omega-3s which have been shown to lower triglycerides. Salmon, tuna, trout, herring, sardines, and mackerel are good choices. The American Heart Association recommends all adults eat at least two servings per week.

→ A filet of black cod, also known as sablefish, can be grilled, broiled, or seared for a quick and easy dinner.

→ If you eat freshwater fish caught locally by friends, family, or other anglers, be sure to heed local advisories about how much fish is safe to consume. These fish can sometimes contain high levels of heavy metals like mercury.

4

→ Add some avocado to it. Avocados are high in monounsaturated fatty acids. One study found that eating an avocado each day improved LDL levels in overweight and obese people.

→ Spread some avocado onto a turkey club sandwich instead of mayonnaise.

→ Mash up an avocado with salt, pepper, and a dash of hot sauce for a quick afterschool or post-office snack. Serve with baby carrots, zucchini, or baked corn tortillas.

5

→ Eat a handful of nuts each day. Almonds, walnuts, and other tree nuts are high in mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids and work to keep your blood vessels healthy. They can also improve blood cholesterol.

→ A handful is about 1.5 ounces or 42.5 grams.

→ Don’t eat nuts that are covered in salt, flavorings, or sugar. These will add empty calories and unnecessary salt and sugar to your diet.

6

→ Add garlic to recipes. Not only has garlic been shown to reduce cholesterol, it also helps to prevent blood clots, reduce blood pressure and acts as a natural antibiotic.

→ Add minced, pureed, or chopped fresh garlic to your dish — try to include 1/2 to one full clove daily. Dried garlic powder will also do the trick.

→ While garlic can significantly lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, the effects do not last long-term if you stop using it. Consider it a complimentary treatment to eating a balanced diet of whole foods.

7

→ Drink black tea. Studies have shown that drinking tea can lower your bad cholesterol. In one study, drinking tea lowered LDL cholesterol between six and 10% in only three weeks. Try replacing coffee and soda with a cup of black tea.

8

→ Nibble on dark chocolate. The antioxidants in dark chocolate can raise your good cholesterol — in one study, participants saw their HDL cholesterol increase up to 24%. The flavanols found in chocolate can also improve blood flow to the brain and heart and can make platelets less sticky and prone to clotting.

→ Choose dark or bittersweet chocolate, or use real cocoa powder to make yourself a cup of hot cocoa.

9

→ Drink red wine in moderation. Consumption of Tempranillo red grapes, which are used to make some red wines, can lower your LDL cholesterol. The resveratrol found in red wine also prevents blood clots and may reduce inflammation.

→ If you don't already drink, don't feel that you need to start just to reap the cholesterol-lowering benefits of red wine. Not drinking at all has greater health benefits overall.

Method 3 - Avoiding Processed Foods

1

→ Limit the amount of convenience foods you eat. Frozen pizza, macaroni and cheese, and chicken nuggets might be quick dinner options, but convenience foods like these are often high in cholesterol, salt, unhealthy fats, and sugar. Whenever possible opt for dinner choices based on whole foods that you prepare yourself.

→ Make your own pizza at home rather than popping a frozen one in the oven. Use a whole grain crust and top it with fresh veggies if you have them handy.

→ Try making your own healthier versions of convenience foods you love, like homemade baked chicken nuggets.

2

→ Shop the outer perimeter of the grocery store. The outer edges of the grocery store usually contain the whole foods we need for a healthy diet including meats, fruits, and vegetables. Staying away from aisles containing processed foods will limit temptation to buy processed foods.

→ Stick to sections containing the nutrient-dense whole foods needed for a healthy diet, like the produce and meat departments.

→ Avoid aisles that contain items like frozen meals, potato chips, or soda.

TIPS

→ Remember that diet is not the only factor in lowering your cholesterol. Quit smoking, achieve and/or maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly and reduce dietary carbohydrates to less than 60% of daily calories.