After reviewing my research on healthy foods and cholesterol from this year I came up with the top 14 Foods that Lower Cholesterol.
- 1. Whole grains and oats – a five-year Insulin Resistance Athersclerosis Study showed that people whose diets contain the most whole grains “had the thinnest carotid artery walls and showed the slowest progression in artery wall thickness.”
- 2. Blueberries – a compound in blueberries (pterostilbene) may help lower cholesterol as effectively as commercial drugs with fewer side effects.
Shop for Blueberries - 3. Pistachios, 4. Walnuts, and 5. Almonds – a Penn State study showed that eating pistachios significantly lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology showed eating walnuts after a high-fat meal might protect your heart. Omega-3 fats and antioxidants in nuts work to reverse the arterial damage caused by saturated fats.
- 6. Avocados, 7. Olives, and 8. Olive oil – 26 of the 30 grams of fat in an avocado are heart-healthy, unsaturated fats that can increase your levels of HDL cholesterol. The good fats in avocados, olives, and olive oil protect against heart disease and diabetes. Check out the Mediterranean Diet.
- 9. Flaxseed oil – flaxseed oil can lower blood pressure in men with high cholesterol. In a three-month study of 59 middle-aged men, those who took daily flaxseed oil supplements (with eight grams of the omega-3 fats, alpha-linoleic acid) experienced significantly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
- 10. 100% cranberry-grape juice – antioxidants in grape juice slow down LDL cholesterol oxidation, and cranberry juice raises HDL or “good” cholesterol.
- 11. Fish and Fish oil – a study from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology found that people with type 2 diabetes who consumed high doses of fish oil over nine weeks lowered the size and concentration of several lipoprotein subclasses (cholesterol) in their bodies.
- 12. Black soybeans – a study from the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture shows that black soybeans may help prevent obesity, lower LDL cholesterol, and reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes.
- 13. Pomegranate juice – a National Academy of Sciences study showed that pomegranate juice reduces cholesterol plaque buildup and increases nitric oxide production (nitric oxide helps reduce arterial plaque).
- 14. Yogurt with live active cultures (probiotics) – Vicki Koenig, MS, RD, CDN said “several studies have shown that the probiotics Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Lactobacillus Reuteri actually help lower cholesterol. They work by preventing the reabsorption of cholesterol back in to the blood stream.”
You might be a person who is predisposed to high cholesterol, or maybe your diet could use a shape-up. Here are a few key points on cholesterol that I try to focus on:
- LDL or “bad” cholesterol deposits itself on the walls of your arteries, forming plaques that make them hard and narrow. HDL or “good” cholesterol removes excess LDL in your blood and brings it to your liver for disposal. The more HDL you consume, the less LDL you’ll have in your blood.
- You may need medication to help reduce your cholesterol, but eating a heart-healthy diet and getting exercise are very important.
- Everyone should have their cholesterol checked-it doesn’t matter if you are young/old, female/male, or thin/overweight.
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If you want to life healthy, make sure your cholesterol LDL is low in blood. For that you must control your mouth and lifestyle
take less of bad fat, raise your consumption fruits and vegetable, legumes everyday, regular exercise. if not you run heart disease and heart attack risk.
thanks for the great info!!!
Very interesting. I have learned a lot and I have made a list of all the food that lowers cholesterol. I will start my special diet tomorrow.Can anyone tell me if I can be off of the drug statin when at my next blood test, I find out that my ldl is decreasing. I don’t want to be on that drug for a long time. Looking for other advices. My doctor will probably say :- stay on it. Thankyou Laurel for your good work.
I’m going to fast track by blending 1 eggs 1 cup of oats, 1 cup of chopped almonds, 1/2 cup of virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup of natural yoghurt, 1/2 cup of cranberry juice. If I can keep it down I reckon in about six months I might lower my cholesterol.
Has anyone heard of espresso raising your cholesteral?
Thanks to everyone for commenting!
Dana, espresso won’t raise your cholesterol because it doesn’t have any animal fats. So, enjoy your coffee! Just, in moderation.
I have not seen any information regarding insoluble fiber; please give me some sources and if it is useful to lower cholesterol levels. Thanks!
Plant sterols are great for lowering cholesterol. There is a brand new all natural, product that has been formulated to lower cholesterol and help fight heart disease.
It is all natural and contains the amount of plant sterols that the FDA states will help lower cholesterol.
If anyone is interested, send me an email at Heather@HeatherColey.info and I’ll send you some info. on it.
Tastes yummy! Like strawberry candy!!!
Hi, I see, higher chloestral leads to lipoma, is there a way to stop lipoma building from our body. So, will sweating help to reduce the growth of lipoma, or reduce chloestral.
Thanks,
Yuvaraj
Thanks for the 14 foods list.
I read some others and they go on about cheese, milk etc. I think it depends on each person’s body, as I eat those and my cholesterol is fine. My father’s is up so I came to find something for him, but then again, I eat most of those foods. Weight watchers say no more than 4 eggs a week. But my blood test diet says I can have two eggs a day, so who knows what causes cholesterol in certain people?
I have also known people that have been told to go to the ‘heart tick’ choices of foods. They did and then went back for their next test and it had doubled, so therefore the ‘heart tick’ food is not always the best for everyone. They have been told after three different consultations that their cholesterol levels must be of that level and they are happier with eating the things they normally eat.
Brilliant comments and I would say I am eating and enloying most of the foods suggested,feel great am healthy and loosing the weight slowely but surely the right way!
Routine heart check and labs (no problems I was aware of). Doc phoned while I was at Las Olas in Cardiff by the Sea having fresh lobster. Told me my LDL was too high. Going to have to focus on the 14 foods now I suppose, bye bye lobster
Hopefully, I will do my heart some good. I am told I will have new labs done in 3 months to see if the statin and diet are working. Arrgh, bye bye lobster.
You hit the nail right on the head! Thanks for the listing.
I need to know about fresh fish native to my state, such as, perch, walleye, blue gills, aand bass, as far as lowering my cholesterol (286) everybody says salmon, to me its an infomercial to salmon fisherman which is not native to my state.
From my personal experience, I think brown rice also helps. All cooking oils should be stopped and replaced by extra virgin olive oil. But olive oil should be used in its raw form without heating it.
Studies show that Soy can lower LDL upto 3 percent however, the AHA Nutrition Committee no longer recommends eating soy to lower cholesterol. We see that Soy products contain high levels of polyunsaturated fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals and low levels of saturated fat, AHA does consider soy products a healthy replacement for meats and other foods high in saturated fats.
thanks!!!! recently found out my cholesterol is borderline high, so these foods will definitely help!!!
Ive been searching for days for a site like this, thank you all so much for this site & comments!! My husband is at my side and we will grocery shop tomorrow for your recommended food items. THANKS =)
I’m about to die worring about my cholesterol I have a blood disorder and now high lipid levels in my blood. I’m freaking out what should I do I got a long list of foods to start eating and a lot of instructions on how to eat and take better care of myself but nothing is working I need some good advice and soon I don’t want surgery or anything like that I’m only 18 and my life has just begun I need help
A great list of information about the normal food that can help to address cholesterol back to its normal cholesterol level. We should educate and inform people that we care most about that there is an alternative out there to lower cholesterol with food and not just only with statin drugs.
Lose the fish and all forms of animal including dairy, yogurt and you might be on to something. Eggs are shown to race incidence of breast cancer. Read the China Study by T. Colin Campbell, it will show you the basis and data for the plant based argument. I am a believer.
How can I raise my HDL?
Thanks
i eat ALL of the so called lowering foods and drinks and spices, i eat nothing fried/ no butter and i exercise and my total (cholesterol)is still 226!!!!!
To help lower cholesterol?
There are many ways but first of all it must become a way of life and not only a few weeks solution then back to junk food city.
Eat more raw vegetables of course. Avocados for example are great to help lower cholesterol. It has good fat. Apples are great too.
Doctor Young brings out a nice point of view about it. Watch your PH. Too acidic and the body will make more cholesterol to protect0s himself from acids. Meat is acidic. Interesting indeeed. Become a vegetarian if you can.
fish has the unsaturated fats which called omega-3 fatty acids, appear to reduce your risk of dying of heart disease. For many years, the American Heart Association has recommended that people eat fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids at least twice a week.
I just found out I have slightly elevated LDL. I am being put on a medication. I do exercise and watch my diet. I can’t eat fried foods anyway but will increase fruits and vegetables. My Dr. believes mine is hereditary. My blood pressure and weight are good. The 14 foods are helpful.
July 19th,2009 at 4.25 p.m. Muscat Oman
I am a Heart patient and your information is absolutely helpful to me and all cholestral consious people.
what about chickpeas and hummus? a friend told me it lowers cholesterol but its not mentioned specifically. how does it rate amongst beans and legumes?
Amazing and tasty ways of reducing cholesterol. Thanks for the info. I will make sure to add them to my regular diet from now on.
Explains how to cut calories and reduce fat in a diet. Recommendations on achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, and selection of low-calorie, reduced fat foods and beverages. Provides free diet information, and exercise plan, with an explanation of each phase including low carb diets, diet reviews, and other health information
There’s this thing called ISPAGHOL in the subcontinent which is probably the purest form of fiber. That helps a lot.
I discovered that my little girl, at the age of four, had a cholestorol level of 281. She never had a chance to eat unhealthy foods because she was still a baby… and my cooking habits have always been the healthiest because my husband also had and has high cholestorol. When I found out, I put my little girl on a diet that consisted of all of the advice that is mentioned here. Four months later I checked my little girl again… cholestorol level:309. I am devastated because I know that its hereditary, but I don’t know how to fight it!!! Her organism needs everything! How can I deprive it of dairy products or meat and eggs? And why? It doesn’t make a difference anyway. She’s got such a long way ahead of her… how can I secure that she gets there fine? If anyone can help me, please respond.
Thanks for this article
This information will come in handy. I just found out that my cholesterol is high and my doctor said I should change my diet. Thank you very much.
yes indeed, your information are very useful for us,keep going………….
I did not see alchohol in the list .
no joke people my colesterol was 220 and i have lowerd it to 160 in 4 weeks !
the only thing i have done diffrently is now i take a walk or job in the morning before work , and have a few beers or a glass of wine before i go to sleep .
assalam o alaikum,
whenever my cholestrol level goes high, then my heart beat beats so fast , and i can’t breath well ,and if i eat something like aspirin or any thing like garlic then my blood pressure goes down and i can’t walk well , i wana something to eat, u suggest that will help to reduce cholestrol level immediately,and is green tea good for reducing cholestrol level?
I have a family history of high cholesterol i’ve been on meds for 9 years i eat right and have a lot of activity in my life it continues to be high i dont get it I think when its in your genes there seems as though there is no hope i hope it will come down ,I would like to stick around and see my grand kids.
sir my hdl 285 before present 185 ( within 3moths)
– past present
height 174 174
weight 79.5 73
hdl 285 185
ldl 190 119
I regularly do exercise, yoga, lifestyle change
give me suggestions through mail
My triglesride level is high
Blood pressure remains also high
Give me some suggestions.
Thanks
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