Accessed June 28, Cooking to lower cholesterol. American Heart Association. Fekete AA, et al. Whey protein lowers blood pressure and improves endothelial function and lipid biomarkers in adults with prehypertension and mild hypertensions: Results from the chronic Whey2Go randomized controlled trial.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Douglas PS. Exercise and fitness in the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Accessed May 30, Hyperlipidemia adult. Rochester, Minn. Braun LT, et al.

Effects of exercise on lipoproteins and hemostatic factors. Smoke-free living: Benefits and milestones. Accessed May , Cardiovascular benefits and risks of moderate alcohol consumption. Accessed May 31, Bonow RO, et al. Risk markers and the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

In: Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. Products and Services A Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book, 5th Edition Nutritional Supplements at Mayo Clinic Store Newsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter — Digital Edition.

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ART Home Top 5 lifestyle changes to reduce cholesterol. Show the heart some love! Give Today. Help us advance cardiovascular medicine.

Broccoli in particular is plentiful in soluble fiber, which does wonders for high cholesterol. Other cholesterol-busting vegetables to consider include spinach, Brussels sprouts and collard greens.

In addition to supplying a multitude of vitamins and antioxidants, eating vegetables regularly has been shown to help lower cholesterol , with higher intakes associated with progressively lower LDL levels. Swap the sugar snacks for some sweet watermelon if you want to lower your cholesterol.

Watermelon naturally contains lycopene, which has lipid lowering properties, reducing total and LDL cholesterol. For those who aren't big on watermelon, consider adding apples, grapes, strawberries, citrus fruits or even avocados to your diet.

All of these are rich in pectin , a type of soluble fiber that lowers LDL cholesterol. Elizabeth Klodas is a cardiologist and founder of Step One Foods. Trained at Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins, Dr.

Klodas has published dozens of scientific articles throughout her career, authored a book for patients, " Slay the Giant: The Power of Prevention in Defeating Heart Disease " and served as founding editor-in-chief of Cardiosmart. Sign up now: Get smarter about your money and career with our weekly newsletter.

Skip Navigation. If you are trying to lower your cholesterol, you should have less than mg a day of cholesterol. Cholesterol is in foods of animal origin, such as liver and other organ meats, egg yolks, shrimp, and whole milk dairy products.

Eat plenty of soluble fiber. Foods high in soluble fiber help prevent your digestive tract from absorbing cholesterol. These foods include:. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can increase important cholesterol-lowering compounds in your diet.

These compounds, called plant stanols or sterols, work like soluble fiber. Eat fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids. These acids won't lower your LDL level, but they may help raise your HDL level. They may also protect your heart from blood clots and inflammation and reduce your risk of heart attack.

Fish that are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, tuna canned or fresh , and mackerel. Try to eat these fish two times a week.

Limit salt. You should try to limit the amount of sodium salt that you eat to no more than 2, milligrams about 1 teaspoon of salt a day. That includes all the sodium you eat, whether it was added in cooking or at the table, or already present in food products. Limiting salt won't lower your cholesterol, but it can lower your risk of heart diseases by helping to lower your blood pressure.

You can reduce your sodium by instead choosing low-salt and "no added salt" foods and seasonings at the table or while cooking. Limit alcohol. Alcohol adds extra calories, which can lead to weight gain. Being overweight can raise your LDL level and lower your HDL level.

Too much alcohol can also increase your risk of heart diseases because it can raise your blood pressure and triglyceride level. One drink is a glass of wine, beer, or a small amount of hard liquor, and the recommendation is that:.

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.

Sterols and stanols extracted from plants gum up the body's ability to absorb cholesterol from food. Companies are adding them to foods ranging from margarine and granola bars to orange juice and chocolate.

They're also available as supplements. Eating soybeans and foods made from them, like tofu and soy milk, was once touted as a powerful way to lower cholesterol.

Fatty fish. Eating fish two or three times a week can lower LDL in two ways: by replacing meat, which has LDL-boosting saturated fats, and by delivering LDL-lowering omega-3 fats. Omega-3s reduce triglycerides in the bloodstream and also protect the heart by helping prevent the onset of abnormal heart rhythms.

Fiber supplements. Supplements offer the least appealing way to get soluble fiber. Two teaspoons a day of psyllium, which is found in Metamucil and other bulk-forming laxatives, provide about 4 grams of soluble fiber.

Later, remove the hardened fat from the top. When a recipe calls for browning the meat first, try browning it under the broiler instead of in a pan. Eat chicken and turkey rather than duck and goose, which are usually higher in fat.

Choose white meat most often when eating poultry. Remove the skin from chicken or turkey before cooking. If your poultry dries out too much, first try basting with wine, fruit juices or a heart-healthy oil-based marinade. Or leave the skin on for cooking and then remove it before eating.

Limit processed meats such as sausage, bologna, salami and hot dogs. Such foods are often high in sodium, too. Read labels carefully and eat processed meats only occasionally. Eat less meat Try meatless meals featuring vegetables or beans.

Cook fresh vegetables the heart-healthy way Try cooking vegetables in a tiny bit of vegetable oil and add a little water during cooking, if needed. Use liquid vegetable oils in place of solid fats Liquid vegetable oils such as canola, safflower, sunflower, soybean and olive oil can often be used instead of solid fats, such as butter, lard or shortening.

Use a little liquid oil to: Pan-fry fish and poultry. Sauté vegetables. Make cream sauces and soups using low-fat or fat-free milk. Add to whipped or scalloped potatoes using low-fat or fat-free milk. Brown rice for Spanish, curried or stir-fried rice. Cook dehydrated potatoes and other prepared foods that call for fat to be added.

Make pancakes or waffles. Puree fruits and veggies for baking Pureed fruits or vegetables can be used in place of oil in muffin, cookie, cake and snack bar recipes to give your treats an extra healthy boost.

You can: Use applesauce in spice muffins or oatmeal cookies. Include bananas in breads and muffins. Try zucchini in brownies. Sauces and gravies Let your cooking liquid cool, then remove the hardened fat before making gravy. Increase fiber and whole grains Consider these heart-smart choices: Toast and crush or cube fiber-rich whole-grain bread to make breadcrumbs, stuffing or croutons.

Replace the breadcrumbs in your meatloaf with uncooked oatmeal. They all count. If you choose tinned, choose options in juice or water, without added sugar or salt. Potatoes, yams, cassava and plantains are exceptions. Unsweetened fruit juice and smoothies count too, but only one portion.

Sterols and stanols are plant ch emicals which are a similar size and shape to cholesterol. They are absorbed from the intestines into the blood stream and block some cholesterol from being absorbed, lowering the cholesterol in your blood.

So, food companies have developed foods with plant sterols or stanols added to them, such as mini yogurt drinks, fat spreads, milk and yogurts.

These fortified foods lower your cholesterol gradually, over a few weeks, and how much depends on the amount you eat. Some experts believe they are the most effective single food for lowering cholesterol. Sterols and stanols have been thoroughly researched, so they can be added to foods and are safe to eat.

Three servings of: OR. To get the most from these foods, eat some every day and eat them with a meal rather than on their own. They can be branded, such as the Flora ProActiv and Benecol ranges, as well as supermarket own products.

Download this 21 day challenge using plant sterols. Donate now. Oats and barley are grains which are rich in a type of fibre called beta glucan. Eating 3g of beta-glucan a day as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle can help to lower cholesterol. When you eat beta glucan, it forms a gel which binds to cholesterol-rich bile acids in the intestines.

This helps limit the amount of cholesterol that is absorbed from the gut into your blood. Your liver then has to take more cholesterol out of your blood to make more bile, which lowers your blood cholesterol.

Many products now contain oats, which makes it easier to get your two to four servings. Foods which have a claim on the label saying they lower cholesterol will contain 1g or more of beta glucan.

Discover more about the versatilty of oats. Nuts are a good source of unsaturated fats and are lower in saturated fats , a mix which can help to keep your cholesterol in check. They contain fibre which can help block some cholesterol being absorbed into the blood stream from the gut, as well as protein, vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, natural plant sterols and other plant nutrients which help keep your body healthy.

All nuts count. Choose a variety and eat them instead of your normal snack or as part of a meal. Where possible, go for the kind with their skins still intact as they contain more nutrients. Good options are:. Soya beans and the foods that are made from them are perfect for a heart-healthy diet.

Oily fish are a good source of healthy unsaturated fats, specifically a type called omega-3 fats. Aim to eat two portions of fish per week, at least one of which should be oily.

A portion is g, but you could have two or three smaller portions throughout the week. Tinned, frozen or fresh all count e. salmon, sardines, pilchards, trout, herring and mackerel. Avoid coconut and palm oil as, unlike other vegetable oils, they are high in saturated fat.

Take a look at our delicious fish recipes. Our Ultimate Cholesterol Lowering Plan© is based on these six cholesterol-busting foods.

Visit the UCLP. Fruits and vegetables can help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers. They contain vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals which help you to stay healthy, and most contain little or no fat and are low in calories, so they can help you to stay a healthy weight.

And, if you are eating more fruit and veg, chances are you're eating less of the other more energy-packed foods. Fruit and vegetables are also high in fibre, and some types of fibre can help to lower your cholesterol.

It blocks some cholesterol from being absorbed from the intestines into the blood stream. Pulses such as beans, peas and lentils are particularly high in this kind of fibre. Fruits and vegetables can be fresh, tinned, frozen or dried.

They all count. If you choose tinned, choose options in juice or water, without added sugar or salt. Potatoes, yams, cassava and plantains are exceptions.

Unsweetened fruit juice and smoothies count too, but only one portion. Sterols and stanols are plant ch emicals which are a similar size and shape to cholesterol.

They are absorbed from the intestines into the blood stream and block some cholesterol from being absorbed, lowering the cholesterol in your blood. So, food companies have developed foods with plant sterols or stanols added to them, such as mini yogurt drinks, fat spreads, milk and yogurts.

These fortified foods lower your cholesterol gradually, over a few weeks, and how much depends on the amount you eat. Some experts believe they are the most effective single food for lowering cholesterol.

Sterols and stanols have been thoroughly researched, so they can be added to foods and are safe to eat. Three servings of: OR.

To get the most from these foods, eat some every day and eat them with a meal rather than on their own. They can be branded, such as the Flora ProActiv and Benecol ranges, as well as supermarket own products. Download this 21 day challenge using plant sterols.

Cholesterol can come from the foods you eat. After you eat, dietary cholesterol circulates in your blood and is stored in your liver.

Too much can lead to plaque build up in your arteries. This can increase the risk of heart disease. It helps remove LDL cholesterol from your arteries. To help lower your risk of heart disease, the goal is to lower LDL cholesterol AND raise HDL cholesterol.

Note: Triglycerides are not a type of cholesterol, they are a type of fat found in your blood. Read this article on triglycerides for more information.

A high fat diet, including saturated and trans fats. Most people do not need to count how much dietary cholesterol they get each day. The amount of cholesterol you get from food usually has little impact on your blood cholesterol.

If you have diabetes, dyslipidemia or heart disease, it is recommended that you eat less dietary cholesterol. Speak to a dietitian or your healthcare provider about how much dietary cholesterol is right for you.

Choose protein foods that are lower in saturated fat, like beans, lentils, tofu, fish, nuts, seeds, lean cuts of meat, skinless poultry and lower fat milk and dairy products. Try these delicious Mango Chicken Wraps for a tasty lunch or this Black Bean Couscous for a satisfying salad.

Read labels and choose foods with 0 grams of trans fats and avoid foods made with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated fat. Fried foods, potato chips, donuts, crackers, hard margarines and baked goods are sometimes made with trans fats so always read the label.

Choose foods that contain unsaturated fat , like canola or olive oil, avocado, salmon and trout, and unsalted nuts and seeds. Eat more fibre. Aim for at least 25 to 29 grams of fibre per day. Soluble fibre is especially helpful in reducing LDL cholesterol.

Eat foods high in soluble fibre everyday. Examples include: oats , oat bran, psyllium, flaxseed, barley, beans, peas, lentils, eggplant, and okra. Eat vegetables and fruit with the peels. Try this Mediterranean Zucchini and Eggplant Dish or this quick and tasty Overnight Apple Pie Oatmeal.

A small study that included 39 participants who had type 2 diabetes and overweight or obesity demonstrated the positive effects of eating lentil sprouts on cholesterol levels. People can use garlic in many dishes and it has many health benefits.

For example, researchers have found that garlic can help regulate serum cholesterol levels. A meta-analysis also determined that garlic can also help reduce blood pressure. However, these reviews involved garlic supplements — it would be difficult to include enough garlic in the diet to have a noticeable effect on cholesterol levels.

Antioxidants called catechins in certain teas, such as green tea , can benefit health. A review found that green tea consumption significantly improved cholesterol levels, reducing both total and LDL cholesterol levels without lowering HDL cholesterol levels.

The researchers call for further studies to confirm their findings. Discover nine drinks that can help lower cholesterol. Extra virgin olive oil features regularly in the heart-healthy Mediterranean diet. One of its many uses is as a cooking oil. Substituting saturated fat with monounsaturated fat, found in extra virgin olive oil, might help reduce LDL levels.

Moreover, extra virgin olive oil has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can be beneficial to cardiovascular and overall health. Learn more about the different types of fats. Kale is an excellent source of fiber and many other nutrients.

One cup of boiled kale contains 4. A review demonstrated the link between fiber intake and a reduction in blood fat levels and blood pressure. Including more fiber in the diet can help lower levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol.

Kale is also very rich in antioxidants, which are good for the heart and help reduce inflammation. The AHA recommends reducing the amount of saturated and trans fats in the diet to lower cholesterol and heart disease risk.

To reduce levels of LDL cholesterol, limit the intake of the following foods which contain high levels of saturated and trans fats:. According to the AHA , the fastest way to lower cholesterol through dietary intervention is to reduce intake of saturated fats and heavily processed foods while increasing fiber intake.

The best way to reduce cholesterol is to eat a diet rich in high fiber, whole fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats. Bananas are rich in soluble fiber and potassium. Both of these can have a positive effect on increasing digestive transit time, lowering cholesterol, and reducing blood pressure, when eaten as part of a healthy diet.

While ensuring adequate hydration is essential to overall health, cholesterol is not a water-soluble fat, and drinking large amounts of water will not lower cholesterol.

Maintaining low LDL cholesterol levels is important, as it decreases the risk of heart disease and stroke. A person can do this by following a healthy diet that includes high fiber fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, fatty fish, unprocessed soy, and the occasional dark chocolate treat.

It is also important to limit the intake of foods high in saturated fat, as these can increase LDL cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease, stroke, and obesity. There are many types of drinks that can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

Find out more about these and other ways of reducing cholesterol. Eating a healthy diet is one way to keep cholesterol levels in check. Learn which foods to avoid and which to prioritize to maintain healthy….