Low Cholesterol Diet – 14 Foods That Help Lower Cholesterol

Cholesterol can be a curse and a boon. Would you agree with that? If you are wondering why, while the high density lipoproteins are good, the low density ones aren’t. So, how can you maintain a balance between the two you ask? Opting for a low cholesterol diet can help.

Planning on the foods to eat that can help lower your cholesterol levels (the bad ones!) is a tough nut to crack. You won’t always have the best of experience when it comes down to discussing about the low cholesterol diet plan.

By the end of this article, you will have mastered all the foods that lower cholesterol fast and will also start making plans up in your head on which diet to stick to for the very next day.

Does Diet Help to Lower Cholesterol?

You will be surprised to know that making certain lifestyle changes and even what you consume on a daily basis can have an amazing impact on helping you lower your cholesterol levels in a healthy way.

The consumption of a low cholesterol diet has been found to be quite beneficial in improving the overall prospects of High density lipoprotein (HDL) levels in the body while keeping the levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) in check.

How to Lower Cholesterol With Diet?

What we eat plays a very crucial role when it comes down to discussing about how to lower cholesterol with diet.

In order to plan out a diet that can actively help manage your overall cholesterol levels of the body, it is very important to ensure that you include foods that can actively help manage the levels effectively.

Let us take a look at some of those foods, shall we?

1. Oatmeal

You would be surprised to know this but oatmeal does have amazing impacts in managing the cholesterol levels in the body.

Given the fact that oatmeal is loaded with fibers, it helps in lowering the levels of the bad cholesterol, otherwise known as the Low density lipoprotein.

The soluble fibers (R) in the oatmeal helps in improving the bout of gut bacteria which have been proven to help in reducing the cholesterol absorption effectively. This is the most effective way of managing the spikes of bad cholesterol in the body.

For the best impacts, consume oats for breakfast because not only will it keep you full through the day, it also helps keep the cholesterol levels lowered.

2. Omega-3 Fatty Acid Rich Foods

Consuming fatty fishes is not necessarily something that every single person likes.

But, if you have been looking around for ways to lower cholesterol with diet, adding a few fatty fishes can get the problem solved for good.

The fishes like salmon and mackerel have been found to be loaded with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids which have beneficial impacts in reducing the levels of triglycerides (R) in the body.

These fishes don’t necessarily trigger the LDL levels in the body but does have beneficial impacts in managing the risks associated with the artery blockage and such which has been found to increase the risks of heart diseases altogether.

3. Legumes

Legumes, also known as pulses around are yet another one of the amazing set of foods that lower cholesterol fast.

You would be surprised to know that even these are not just low of fat but on high on fiber at the same time. This helps ensure that you are not just getting your load of fibers but also get the necessary minerals and proteins that you need in your everyday life.

Even a conducted study (R) with 26 participants found that the consumption of half a cup of legume every single day effectively helped in bringing down the levels of LDL in the body.

4. Nuts

Not many people realize this but nuts do have an amazing impact on the overall prospect of lowering the cholesterol levels in the body.

If you are wondering how nuts can help manage the cholesterol levels even though they themselves have a high-fat level, it is mainly because of the presence of healthy fats in them.

You’d be surprised to know that nuts don’t cause the spikes in the bad cholesterol.

Apart from being loaded with healthy fats, nuts are also loaded with beneficial nutrients and minerals which further help in lowering the cholesterol levels in the body, even studies (R) do support the same.

5. Soy and Soy Products

Soy and soy rich foods are also categorized under the foods to lower cholesterol.

Owing to the fact that they are loaded with beneficial nutrients and are low on the saturated fats, it is not at a surprise why this is considered as a good enough option for you to look into if you are planning for a low cholesterol diet plan.

They have also been found to have beneficial impacts in handling the levels of cholesterol in the body as well, and even studies (R) do support the clause.

Try and include two servings of soy products in your diet and the same has been proven to reduce the levels of cholesterol in the body by 6%.

6. Avocados

Yet another one of the amazing foods that lower cholesterol fast is avocados. They are loaded with monounsaturated fatty acids which have been found to have beneficial impacts in reducing the levels of LDL in the body which has been proven to reduce the risks of heart diseases.

Consuming plant based monounsaturated fatty acids have been found to have beneficial impacts on the overall prospect of helping boost the cholesterol levels in the body. Instead of just relying on avocados in the form of guacamole, eat it on toast during breakfast and such.

If you are aware of the Mediterranean diet, you will know that avocado does present to be one of the most potent foods to lower cholesterol.

The combination of the monounsaturated fats along with the fiber (R) is what proves out to be an amazing component when it comes to lowering the bad cholesterol in the body and boosting the levels of HDL simultaneously.

7. Fruits and Berries

You will be surprised to know that the biggest fighter for the high levels of cholesterol is the consumption of high levels of soluble fibers.

Fruits and berries, have been found to have high levels of soluble fiber (R) in them which has been found to have proven benefits in handling the levels of high cholesterol.

If you are aware of soluble fibers and its impacts altogether, it is important to understand that a conducted study (R) found that pectin, which is predominantly found in fruits, has potential impacts in lowering the cholesterol levels by 10%.

Even the presence of the antioxidants in them has been found to have beneficial impacts in improving the overall condition of cholesterol levels as well as heart health.

8. Foods Fortified with Plant Sterols and Stanols

You will be very surprised to know that the cholesterol compound is also present in the plants.

These cholesterol mimicking compounds in the plants have been found beneficial in preventing the absorption of the unhealthy cholesterols in the body. This is one of the primary reasons why it is often suggested to include in the low cholesterol diet.

Studies (R) have found that the addition of sterol to your diet every single day can be very effective in lowering the LDL concentration by 5-15%.

It has been found that these plant sterols and stanols predominantly affect and impact the levels of the LDL in the body and doesn’t impact the HDL or the triglycerides level altogether.

9. Whey Protein

If you are wondering what whey is, it is the byproduct of the production of cheese or casein. In simpler terms, it is the liquid that’s left after the milk has been curdled and separated.

Not only is it high in protein but has been proven to have beneficial impacts in handling the condition of cholesterol levels in the body.

Studies (R) have found that whey has beneficial impacts in lowering the LDL levels in the body to boost the overall condition of cholesterol levels of the body.

10. Cocoa

Do you like dark chocolate, unlike many others?

If you do, you are in luck because it has been found to have beneficial impacts in handling the cholesterol levels in the body.

In a conducted study (R) (R) which wanted to find the impacts of dark chocolate and cocoa on the lipid profiles of the participants, the researchers found that the consumption of dark chocolate has been associated with the reduction in the bad cholesterol in the body.

It was found that the subjects experienced a reduction in the levels of LDL in the blood by 6.5 mg/dL. It also improved the levels of good cholesterol in the body.

The only key in all of this is to ensure that the dark chocolate that you are having should have 70-85% cocoa for effective results altogether.

11. Olive Oil

Olive oil is yet another one of the substitute for unhealthy oils that have the potency of increasing the cholesterol levels in the body.

Not only is olive oil effective in handling the cholesterol levels in the body, it has also been found to have beneficial impacts in preventing the accumulation of cholesterol which has the potency to end up increasing the risks of heart disease, especially Atherosclerosis.

12. Garlic

The usage of garlic in therapeutic needs is definitely not something unknown to mankind. The same has been in practice for quite some time now.

Studies (R) have found that the active compound in garlic, Allicin has beneficial impacts in lowering the levels of bad cholesterol in the body.

For this prospect, the majority of the experts do suggest sticking to the garlic supplements for faster and more effective impacts on the body.

13. Vegetables

If you are wondering all along, vegetables are actually an important addition when it comes to the low cholesterol diet plan.

Vegetables are not only rich in antioxidants and fibers; they are also low on calories which have been proven to have beneficial impacts on the maintenance of a healthy weight altogether.

The impacts of soluble fiber on the regulation of the cholesterol levels in the body have been found to have beneficial impacts on the levels of LDL. Several vegetables are loaded with pectin (R) which helps in reducing the levels of bad cholesterol in the body.

If required, include more leafy greens to your diet to further accentuate the impacts altogether.

14. Tea

Green tea always tends to take the highlight off the show but even black tea and white tea have potential benefits when it comes to the tips to lower cholesterol with your diet.

The active compound in the tea, Catechins, have been found to have proven benefits in handling the condition associated with the heightened levels of cholesterol in the body.

Not only does it help activate nitric oxide to promote a healthy blood pressure, it has also been found beneficial in inhibiting the cholesterol synthesis in the body along with the absorption as well.

Sticking to a low cholesterol diet can prove to be very beneficial for someone who is on the lookout for ways to improve their way of living. High cholesterol levels impact the risks of heart disease which is why it is always best to make healthier choices, both in terms of lifestyle and diet.