This gel helps to support digestive health and also aids in trapping fats, meaning the body cannot absorb them. As such, soluble fiber can help to lower levels of LDL cholesterol. According to the United States Food and Drug Administration FDA , most Americans do not consume the recommended amount of dietary fiber.

The recommended amount is around 28 grams a day based on a 2,calorie daily diet. However, it is worth noting that consuming too much soluble fiber may lead to constipation , bloating , and stomach pain.

People should try to increase their soluble fiber intake gradually over time. This includes helping to lower bad cholesterol levels and raising good cholesterol levels. For example, the results of a study involving older adults demonstrated that moderate and vigorous physical activity lowered blood pressure and blood sugar levels and increased HDL cholesterol levels.

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults do at least — minutes of moderate-intensity or 75— minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity a week for substantial health benefits.

A person can spread this activity throughout the week. People new to exercise may want to start with lower-intensity activities and gradually build the intensity of their workouts.

Additionally, individuals with chronic conditions or disabilities should consult a doctor to determine what type of physical activity and how much is right for them. Learn more about exercises to lower cholesterol here. Getting enough good-quality sleep is important for health.

How much sleep a person requires changes with age, and research suggests that most adults should aim for 7 or more hours of sleep per night. Other evidence indicates that there is an association between short sleep duration or poor sleep quality with higher cholesterol levels.

However, researchers are still trying to understand how sleep affects cholesterol. Some research suggests that HDL levels are lower in people with insufficient sleep.

Whereas other research indicates that too little or too much sleep can result in low HDL levels. Overall, poor sleep duration and quality appear to negatively impact cholesterol, but it is not clear exactly why or how it does. Therefore, it may be beneficial for general health and cholesterol management for a person to develop good sleep hygiene practices.

Learn more about sleep apnea and high cholesterol here. Smoking can lead to high cholesterol levels as it can reduce the circulating level of HDL. Additionally, the chemicals present in cigarette smoke can cause LDL to become stickier and also damage the lining of blood vessels, making them swollen and inflamed.

As such, smoking can make it difficult to control cholesterol levels and increases the risk of a potential clog in the arteries. By quitting smoking, a person can lower their LDL and increase their HDL cholesterol levels. This can help to slow the buildup of new fatty deposits in arteries and support overall health.

Learn more about quitting smoking here. Regularly drinking water and getting sufficient amounts is extremely important for good health and essential for good liver health.

The liver plays a key role in managing cholesterol levels as it helps to break down cholesterol. If the liver is not able to function correctly then it may cause cholesterol to build up in the body. A study investigating the role of hydration for metabolic health in older adults found that hydration was associated with higher HDL cholesterol concentrations.

This suggests that in addition to being a healthy beverage option, drinking water may help to control cholesterol levels. Learn more about drinks that may help lower cholesterol here.

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that is present in every cell in the body. Although having too much cholesterol can increase the risk of adverse health effects, the body needs cholesterol to build cell membranes and to produce :. The liver naturally produces all of the cholesterol that the body needs.

However, certain foods contain cholesterol, and other foods can trigger the liver to produce more of it. HDL cholesterol collects LDL cholesterol and other fats from the arteries and transports them back to the liver. The liver disposes of excess cholesterol by converting it into a digestive fluid called bile.

Although people should aim to have more HDL cholesterol than LDL cholesterol, experts recommend that adults keep their blood levels of total cholesterol below milligrams per deciliter. Learn more about cholesterol levels by age here.

Cholesterol supports many essential bodily functions, such as cell membrane formation and hormone production. People can naturally lower their cholesterol levels by adopting dietary and lifestyle changes. This can include changing the types of fats they eat, consuming soluble fiber, exercising regularly, quitting smoking, maintaining healthy body weight, limiting alcohol intake, and getting enough good-quality sleep.

In this article, we look at a variety of lifestyle changes and natural supplements that help lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart…. People with high cholesterol levels may benefit from adopting a low fat diet.

Reducing the intake of saturated and trans fats can decrease bad…. If a person has high cholesterol, following a diet low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and processed foods may help reduce levels.

Learn more. The "good" type of cholesterol is high-density lipoprotein HDL cholesterol. Learn why it is beneficial and how to increase HDL levels. My podcast changed me Can 'biological race' explain disparities in health?

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Medical News Today. Health Conditions Health Products Discover Tools Connect. Natural ways to lower cholesterol without medication. Medically reviewed by Adam Bernstein, MD, ScD — By Louise Morales-Brown and Jamie Eske — Updated on January 5, Trans fats Saturated fats Monounsaturated fats Polyunsaturated fats Soluble fiber Exercise Sleep Smoking Water What is it?

Summary Cholesterol supports many essential bodily functions, but high levels can lead to health issues. Drinking too much alcohol can increase your cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Some medical conditions can cause high cholesterol levels including kidney and liver disease and underactive thyroid gland hypothyroidism.

People with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure often have high cholesterol. Some types of medicines you take for other health problems can increase cholesterol levels as well. What we eat has an impact on our cholesterol levels and can help reduce our risk of disease. The Heart Foundation recommends following a heart-healthy eating pattern, which means eating a wide variety of fresh and unprocessed foods and limiting highly processed foods including take away, baked goods, chocolate, chips, lollies and sugary drinks.

Not only does this help to maintain a healthy and interesting diet, but it provides essential nutrients to the body. This way of eating is also naturally high in fibre, which is good news, because a high intake of dietary fibre can also reduce levels of bad cholesterol in the blood. Also, be mindful of how much you are eating.

Portion sizes have increased over time and many of us are eating more than we need which can increase our cholesterol and risk of heart disease.

Ideally, a healthy plate would include servings of ¼ healthy proteins, ¼ wholegrains and ½ colourful vegetables. As well as sticking to a varied and healthy diet, try these tips to help you manage your cholesterol:. You can also speak to an Accredited Practising Dietitian External Link for specific advice.

Check out the Heart Foundation website External Link for a range of simple, delicious recipes including vegetarian recipes and those that include plant-based proteins such as lentils, chickpeas and beans:. If you are trying to lower your cholesterol, aim to eat foods that are high in dietary fibre particularly soluble fibre , because they can reduce the amount of LDL bad cholesterol in your blood.

Following a healthy, balanced diet that is low in saturated fats and trans-fats can help to lower your cholesterol. Aim to replace foods that contain unhealthy, saturated and trans-fats with foods that contain healthy fats.

Hormones release triglycerides to make energy between meals. Like cholesterol, your body needs triglycerides to work properly. However, there is evidence to suggest that some people with high triglycerides are at increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

Making lifestyle changes, especially changing some of the foods you eat, and regular physical activity , are very important to help reduce high LDL bad cholesterol. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only.

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Cholesterol - healthy eating tips. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Types of cholesterol How is cholesterol measured?

What causes high cholesterol? Cholesterol and healthy eating Healthy eating tips to lower cholesterol Dietary fibre Dietary fats Unhealthy fats Healthy fats Triglycerides in your blood Lowering triglycerides Treatment for high cholesterol Where to get help. How is cholesterol measured?

Most people with high cholesterol feel perfectly well and often have no symptoms. Some causes of high cholesterol include: High intake of foods containing unhealthy fats saturated fats and trans fats — such as fatty meats and deli-style meats, butter, cream, ice cream, coconut oil, palm oil and most deep-fried takeaway foods and commercially baked products such as pies, biscuits, buns and pastries.

Low intake of foods containing healthy fats — healthy fats tend to increase the good HDL cholesterol. Foods containing healthy fats include avocado, nuts, seeds, olives, cooking oils made from plants or seeds, and fish. Low intake of foods containing fibre — foods that are high in dietary fibre, particularly soluble fibre, can reduce the amount of bad LDL cholesterol in your blood.

Include fibre-containing foods in your diet by choosing vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, legumes, nuts and seeds every day. Low levels of physical activity and exercise. Being overweight or obese and having too much body fat around your middle. Smoking can lead to high cholesterol levels.

Genetics — your family history may affect your cholesterol level. In some families, several people might be diagnosed with high cholesterol or heart disease at a relatively young age men below age 55 years and women below 65 years.

This type of pattern can be caused by genetics, including a genetic condition called familial hypercholesterolaemia. Cholesterol and healthy eating What we eat has an impact on our cholesterol levels and can help reduce our risk of disease. A heart-healthy eating pattern includes: plenty of vegetables, fruit and wholegrains a variety of healthy protein-rich foods especially fish and seafood , legumes such as beans and lentils , nuts and seeds.

Smaller amounts of eggs and lean poultry can also be included in a heart-healthy eating pattern. If choosing red meat, make sure it is lean and limit to one to three times a week unflavoured milk , yoghurt and cheese. People with high cholesterol should choose reduced fat varieties healthy fats and oils.

Choose nuts, seeds, avocados, olives and their oils for cooking herbs and spices to flavour foods, instead of adding salt. Serving size can vary depending on age, gender and specific nutrition needs.

Current nutrition guidelines recommend getting 20 to 35 grams of fiber a day, with at least 5 to 10 grams coming from soluble fiber. The average American gets about half that amount. Barley and other whole grains. Like oats and oat bran, barley and other whole grains can help lower the risk of heart disease, mainly via the soluble fiber they deliver.

Beans are especially rich in soluble fiber. They also take a while for the body to digest, meaning you feel full for longer after a meal. That's one reason beans are a useful food for folks trying to lose weight.

With so many choices — from navy and kidney beans to lentils, garbanzos, black-eyed peas, and beyond — and so many ways to prepare them, beans are a very versatile food. Eggplant and okra. These two low-calorie vegetables are good sources of soluble fiber.

A bushel of studies shows that eating almonds, walnuts, peanuts, and other nuts is good for the heart. Nuts have additional nutrients that protect the heart in other ways.

Vegetable oils. Using liquid vegetable oils such as canola, sunflower, safflower, and others in place of butter, lard, or shortening when cooking or at the table helps lower LDL.

Apples, grapes, strawberries, citrus fruits. These fruits are rich in pectin, a type of soluble fiber that lowers LDL. Foods fortified with sterols and stanols. These include any foods made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Get more soluble fiber. Eat more soluble fiber, such as that found in oatmeal and fruits. This type of fiber can lower blood cholesterol levels when eaten as part of a healthy-fat diet.

Include plant sterols and stanols in your diet. These naturally occurring plant compounds are similar in structure to cholesterol. When you eat them, they help limit the amount of cholesterol your body can absorb.

Plant sterols and stanols are found in an increasing number of food products such as spreads, juices, and yogurts. Find a diet that works for you. When a friend or relative tells you how much his or her cholesterol level dropped after trying a particular diet, you may be tempted to try it yourself.

If you do, and after a few months you discover that you're not getting the same benefits, you may need to chalk it up to genetic and physiological differences.

There is no one-size-fits-all diet for cholesterol control. You may need to try several approaches to find one that works for you.

Although diet can be a simple and powerful way to improve cholesterol levels, it plays a bigger role for some people than for others. Don't be discouraged if you have followed a diet but not reached your goal blood level. Keep it up. Even if you do end up needing medication to keep your cholesterol in check, you likely will need less than if you didn't make any dietary changes.

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Related Content. To reduce your cholesterol, try to cut down on fatty food, especially food that contains a type of fat called saturated fat. You can still have foods that contain a healthier type of fat called unsaturated fat. Try a few different exercises to find something you like doing.

You're more likely to keep doing it if you enjoy it. Smoking can raise your cholesterol and make you more likely to have serious problems like heart attacks, strokes and cancer. Page last reviewed: 13 July Next review due: 13 July