Your body needs cholesterol to build healthy cells, but high levels of cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease. With high cholesterol, you can develop fatty deposits in your blood vessels. Cholesterol is a fat (also called a lipid) that your body needs to work properly. Too much bad cholesterol can increase your chance of getting heart disease, stroke, and other problems. The medical term for high blood cholesterol is lipid disorder, hyperlipidemia, or hypercholesterolemia.
Foods to Eat to lower cholesterol
There’s no need to follow a low-cholesterol diet to stay within the healthy LDL cholesterol range. Simply incorporating a few servings of foods that lower cholesterol in your diet per day can help decrease cholesterol levels and high triglycerides to optimize the health of your heart.
Here are a few of the top cholesterol-lowering foods that you may want to consider stocking up on:
Olive Oil: Loaded with heart-healthy unsaturated fats, extra-virgin olive oil has been shown to drop bad LDL cholesterol levels to enhance heart health.
Vegetables: Vegetables are one of the top nutrient-dense foods, meaning they’re high in vitamins, minerals and fibre to support heart health, yet low in calories. Not surprisingly, studies have found that eating more vegetables is linked to lower LDL cholesterol levels in both men and women.
Nuts: Nuts are rich in fibre and healthy fats, making them an excellent dietary addition if you’re looking for how to lower cholesterol. One review of 25 studies showed that eating more healthy nuts was associated with lower levels of total and LDL cholesterol, plus decreased triglycerides as well.
Seeds: Nutritious seed varieties like flaxseeds have been shown to reduce both total and LDL cholesterol levels to keep your heart healthy.
Salmon: Fatty fish like salmon are packed with beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, which can help decrease cholesterol levels and relieve inflammation to enhance heart health.
Turmeric: Thanks to the presence of a powerful compound called curcumin, turmeric has been shown to reduce levels of total and LDL cholesterol in the blood.
Garlic: Well-known for its wealth of health-promoting properties, research shows that garlic could even benefit cholesterol levels as well. According to one review of 39 studies, consuming garlic regularly for at least two months can lower cholesterol levels to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Okra: This popular plant is high in fibre, potassium and antioxidants and can help promote better heart health. One animal study showed that okra extract effectively decreased cholesterol and blood sugar levels in obese mice.
Beans and Legumes: Adding legumes to your diet can have a big impact on heart health. Studies show that a diet rich in legumes such as lentils, beans and peas is linked to lower levels of cholesterol in the blood.
Sweet Potatoes: This tasty tuber contains several health-promoting proteins and compounds that have been shown to decrease cholesterol in animal models.
Green Tea: Rich in antioxidants and catechins, green tea is one of the healthiest beverages that you can add to your routine. Studies show that drinking green tea can decrease levels of total and LDL cholesterol. Studies have also shown that drinking yerba mate tea can naturally improve serum lipid levels, thereby lowering cholesterol levels.
Persimmon: Incorporating a few servings of this nutritious citrus fruit into your daily diet could have a major impact on heart health. One study found that consuming fiber extracted from persimmon fruit was effective at lowering cholesterol levels in adults.
Avocados: Avocados are high in fibre, potassium and healthy fats, all of which can aid in keeping cholesterol under control. Not only have avocados been shown to increase levels of good HDL cholesterol, but they can also reduce total and bad LDL cholesterol as well.
Gluten-Free Whole Grains: Whole grains have been associated with lower levels of cholesterol and improved heart health. But because gluten can be inflammatory, it’s best to opt for gluten-free whole grains instead, such as buckwheat, quinoa and brown rice.
Foods to Avoid
Cleaning up your diet is one of the most effective ways to reduce your LDL levels and enhance heart health. But there’s no reason to nix high-cholesterol foods from your diet altogether; in fact, there is cholesterol in eggs, red meat, dairy products, and other foods that can be included in moderation as part of a healthy diet.
Instead, focus on nixing these foods from your diet as a simple method for how to lower cholesterol:
Sugar and Refined Carbohydrates: Added sugar and refined carbs from ultra-processed foods can throw off your cholesterol ratio by decreasing good cholesterol levels in the blood.
Trans Fats: Frequently found in processed foods and pre-packaged baked goods, trans fats can increase LDL cholesterol, decrease HDL cholesterol, and boost the risk of coronary heart disease. It’s best to cut these unhealthy fats out of your diet altogether by minimizing your intake of processed foods.
Lower Consumption of These Types of Drinks
Although a glass of red wine per day can be beneficial for heart health, heavy drinking of alcohol can have detrimental effects on cholesterol levels. Keep alcohol consumption in moderation by sticking to 1–2 servings per day to help optimize heart health.
Overdoing caffeinated beverages like coffee, soda or energy drinks may cause an increase in cholesterol levels for some people. Limit coffee and tea to 1–2 cups daily to keep cholesterol in check.
Consider These Supplements
While switching up your diet is often an effective method for reducing cholesterol levels all on its own, adding a few cholesterol-lowering supplements can boost the effects even more. Here are some of the supplements you can try using to get started:
Fish Oil: Packed with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil can be especially beneficial if fish doesn’t always make it into your weekly dinner rotation. Fish oil is effective at increasing levels of good HDL cholesterol in the blood to clear out LDL cholesterol from the arteries. Aim for 1,000–2,000 milligrams daily.
CoQ10: Coenzyme Q10 is a coenzyme that has been shown to be useful in lowering cholesterol levels. It works by removing excess cholesterol and preventing atherosclerosis to keep your arteries clear. Aim for 200–300 milligrams daily.
Niacin: Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, is commonly used in the treatment of high cholesterol. In fact, niacin has been shown to reduce triglycerides and lower levels of LDL cholesterol while also increasing beneficial HDL cholesterol levels as well. Aim for 1,500 milligrams daily.
Red Yeast Rice: Derived from white rice that has undergone fermentation, one analysis of 13 studies showed that red yeast rice was effective at decreasing both triglycerides and LDL cholesterol. Aim for 1,200 milligrams twice daily.
Berberine: A study published in the journal Metabolism showed that berberine reduced serum cholesterol along with triglyceride levels in type 2 diabetic patients.
Garlic: In addition to adding garlic to your diet, you may also want to consider adding a garlic extract to your natural medicine cabinet as well. Aged garlic extract, in particular, has been shown to have cholesterol-lowering properties in both human and animal studies. Aim for 500 milligrams daily.
Increase Certain Types of Exercise
When it comes to reducing cholesterol levels, getting plenty of physical activity is just as essential as making modifications to your diet. There are two types of exercise that can make a big impact on heart health.
Aerobic exercise, or cardio workouts, is a form of exercise that helps strengthen your heart and lungs. And besides keeping you trim, studies show that aerobic exercise can also help lower cholesterol levels.
Walking, running and cycling are just a few easy ways to get in your daily dose of cardio.
Meanwhile, resistance training is a form of physical activity that forces your muscles to contract, building up strength and endurance. Some research also shows that resistance training could have beneficial effects on heart health as well and may decrease total and LDL cholesterol.
Weight lifting and bodyweight exercises like squats or lunges are some examples of resistance training that you can add to your routine.
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