10 Tips to Lower Cholesterol With Your Diet
Cholesterol is a waxy substance produced by your liver and obtained by eating animal products such as meat, dairy and eggs.
Your liver will produce less cholesterol if you consume a lot of this substance from food, so dietary cholesterol rarely has a great impact on total cholesterol levels.
However, eating large amounts of saturated fat, trans fat and sugars can raise cholesterol levels.
Bear in mind that there are different types of cholesterol.
While “good” HDL cholesterol may be beneficial for your health, high levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol, particularly when oxidized, have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source).
That’s because oxidized LDL cholesterol is more likely to stick to the walls of your arteries and form plaques, which clog these blood vessels.
Here are 10 tips to lower cholesterol with your diet and help reduce your risk of heart disease.
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1. Eat Foods Rich in Soluble Fiber
Soluble fiber is found in large quantities in beans, legumes, whole grains, flax, apples and citrus (5Trusted Source).
Humans lack the proper enzymes to break down soluble fiber, so it moves through your digestive tract, absorbing water and forming a thick paste.
As it travels, soluble fiber absorbs bile, a substance produced by your liver to help digest fats. Eventually, both the fiber and attached bile are excreted in your stool.
Bile is made from cholesterol, so when your liver needs to make more bile it pulls cholesterol out of your bloodstream, which lowers cholesterol levels naturally.
Regular soluble fiber consumption is associated with a 5–10% reduction in both total cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol in as little as four weeks (5Trusted Source).
It’s recommended to eat at least 5–10 grams of soluble fiber each day for the maximum cholesterol-lowering effects, but benefits have been seen at even lower intakes of 3 grams per day (6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source).
2. Enjoy Lots of Fruits and Vegetables
Eating fruits and vegetables is an easy way to lower LDL cholesterol levels.
Studies show that adults who consume at least four servings of fruits and vegetables each day have roughly 6% lower LDL cholesterol levels than people who eat fewer than two servings per day (8Trusted Source).
Fruits and vegetables also contain high numbers of antioxidants, which prevent LDL cholesterol from oxidizing and forming plaques in your arteries (9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source).
Together, these cholesterol-lowering and antioxidant effects can reduce your risk of heart disease.
Research has found that people who eat the most fruits and vegetables have a 17% lower risk of developing heart disease over 10 years compared to those who eat the fewest (11Trusted Source).
3. Cook with Herbs and Spices
Herbs and spices are nutritional powerhouses packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Human studies have shown that garlic, turmeric and ginger are especially effective at lowering cholesterol when eaten regularly (12Trusted Source, 13Trusted Source, 14Trusted Source).
In fact, eating just one garlic clove per day for three months is enough to lower total cholesterol by 9% (15Trusted Source).
In addition to lowering cholesterol, herbs and spices contain antioxidants that prevent LDL cholesterol from oxidizing, reducing the formation of plaques within your arteries (15Trusted Source).
Even though herbs and spices are not typically eaten in large quantities, they can contribute significantly to the total amount of antioxidants consumed each day (16Trusted Source).
Dried oregano, sage, mint, thyme, clove, allspice and cinnamon contain some of the highest numbers of antioxidants, as well as fresh herbs such as oregano, marjoram, dill and cilantro (16Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source).
4. Eat a Variety of Unsaturated Fats
Two main kinds of fats are found in food: saturated and unsaturated.
On a chemical level, saturated fats contain no double bonds and are very straight, allowing them to pack together tightly and stay solid at room temperature.
Unsaturated fats contain at least one double bond and have a bent shape, preventing them from joining together as tightly. These attributes make them liquid at room temperature.
Research shows that replacing most of your saturated fats with unsaturated fats can reduce total cholesterol by 9% and “bad” LDL cholesterol by 11% in just eight weeks (18Trusted Source).
Longer-term studies have also found that people who eat more unsaturated fats and fewer saturated fats tend to have lower cholesterol levels over time (19Trusted Source).
Foods like avocados, olives, fatty fish and nuts contain ample heart-healthy unsaturated fats, so it’s beneficial to eat them regularly (20, 21, 22, 23).
5. Avoid Artificial Trans Fats
While trans fats occur naturally in red meat and dairy products, most people’s main source is artificial trans fat used in many restaurants and processed foods (24Trusted Source).
Artificial trans fats are produced by hydrogenating — or adding hydrogen to — unsaturated fats such as vegetable oils to change their structure and solidify them at room temperature.
Trans fats make a cheap alternative to natural saturated fats and have been widely used by restaurants and food manufacturers.
However, substantive research shows that eating artificial trans fats increases “bad” LDL cholesterol, lowers “good” HDL cholesterol and is linked to a 23% greater risk of heart disease (25Trusted Source, 26Trusted Source, 27Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source).
Watch out for the words “partially hydrogenated” in ingredients lists. This term indicates that the food contains trans fat and should be avoided (27Trusted Source).
As of June 2018, artificial trans fats are banned from use in restaurants and processed foods sold in the US, so they’re becoming much easier to avoid (29Trusted Source).
Naturally occurring trans fats found in meat and dairy products can also raise LDL cholesterol. However, they’re present in small enough quantities to generally not be considered a large health risk (30Trusted Source, 31Trusted Source).
6. Eat Fewer Added Sugars
It’s not just saturated and trans fats that can raise cholesterol levels. Eating too many added sugars can do the same thing ( target=”_blank”32Trusted Source).
One study found that adults who consumed 25% of their calories from drinks made with high-fructose corn syrup experienced a 17% increase in LDL cholesterol in just two weeks (33Trusted Source).
Even more troubling, fructose increases the number of small, dense oxidized LDL cholesterol particles which contribute to heart disease (34Trusted Source).
Between 2005 and 2010, an estimated 10% of Americans consumed over 25% of their daily calories from added sugars (35Trusted Source).
According to a 14-year study, these people were almost three times more likely to die from heart disease than those getting less than 10% of their calories from added sugars (35Trusted Source).
The American Heart Association recommends eating no more than 100 calories (25 grams) of added sugar per day for women and children, and no more than 150 calories (37.5 grams) per day for men (36Trusted Source, 37Trusted Source).
7. Enjoy a Mediterranean-Style Diet
One of the easiest ways to incorporate the above lifestyle changes is to follow a Mediterranean-style diet.
Mediterranean diets are rich in olive oil, fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains and fish, and low in red meat and most dairy. Alcohol, usually in the form of red wine, is consumed in moderation with meals (38Trusted Source).
Since this style of eating includes many cholesterol-lowering foods and avoids many cholesterol-raising foods, it’s considered very heart-healthy.
In fact, research has shown that following a Mediterranean-style diet for at least three months reduces LDL cholesterol by an average of 8.9 mg per deciliter (dL) (39Trusted Source).
It also reduces the risk of heart disease by up to 52% and the risk of death by up to 47% when followed for at least four years (38Trusted Source, 40Trusted Source, 41Trusted Source).
8. Eat More Soy
Soybeans are rich in protein and contain isoflavones, plant-based compounds that are similar in structure to estrogen.
Research has found that soy protein and isoflavones have powerful cholesterol-lowering effects and can reduce your risk of heart disease (42Trusted Source, 43Trusted Source, 44Trusted Source).
In fact, eating soy every day for at least one month can increase “good” HDL cholesterol by 1.4 mg/dL and reduce “bad” LDL cholesterol by about 4 mg/dL (45Trusted Source, 46Trusted Source).
Less processed forms of soy — such as soybeans or soy milk — are likely more effective at lowering cholesterol than processed soy protein extracts or supplements (45Trusted Source).
9. Drink Green Tea
Green tea is made by heating and drying the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant.
The tea leaves can be steeped in water to make brewed tea or ground into powder and mixed with liquid for matcha green tea.
A review of 14 studies found that consuming green tea daily for at least two weeks lowers total cholesterol by about 7 mg/dL and “bad” LDL cholesterol by roughly 2 mg/dL (47Trusted Source, 48Trusted Source).
Animal studies show that green tea may lower cholesterol by both reducing the liver’s production of LDL and increasing its removal from the bloodstream (49Trusted Source).
Green tea is also rich in antioxidants, which can prevent LDL cholesterol from oxidizing and forming plaques in your arteries (50Trusted Source, 51Trusted Source).
Drinking at least four cups per day provides the greatest protection against heart disease, but enjoying just one cup daily can reduce your risk of heart attack by nearly 20% (52Trusted Source).
10. Try Cholesterol-Lowering Supplements
In addition to diet, some supplements can help lower cholesterol levels naturally.
Niacin: Daily supplements of 1–6 grams of niacin can lower LDL cholesterol levels up to 19% over one year. However, it can cause side effects and should only be taken under medical supervision (53Trusted Source, 54Trusted Source, 55Trusted Source).
Psyllium husk: Psyllium husk, rich in soluble fiber, can be mixed with water and consumed daily to lower cholesterol. Research has found that psyllium husk complements cholesterol-lowering drugs (56Trusted Source).
L-carnitine: L-carnitine lowers LDL levels and reduces oxidation for people with diabetes. Taking 2 grams per day for three months can lower oxidized cholesterol levels five times more than a placebo (57Trusted Source, 58Trusted Source).
Always consult with your doctor before starting a new diet or supplement regimen.
Important Tips - Read Here
