Food for High Cholesterol: 5 Nutritious Options

Food for high cholesterol levels is hard to find. What’s worse is that it’s easy to eat your way to an alarmingly high cholesterol level. The opposite is true too; changing what you eat can decrease your cholesterol.

Plant foods are part of a heart-healthy diet, but some foods are particularly good at lowering cholesterol levels. This is because they contain a high amount of dietary fiber, which binds cholesterol in the digestive tract and helps you excrete it rather than absorb it.

Other foods contain many unique bioactive compounds that may directly lower your “bad cholesterol” and raise your “good cholesterol.” The Mayo Clinic explains a bit more about good and bad cholesterol, scientifically known as high and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Let's understand a bit more about this before moving on with them food options, alright?

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (cholesterol)

Cholesterol is a waxy substance we can find in all of our cells. It performs various useful functions, like building our cells. But just as with everything else, it's only good in moderation. Here's when the "good" and "bad" cholesterols come to play: high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL).

The bad one, LDL, can eventually build up in your vascular system and form plaques and even clots. It can narrow the passageways on which your blood flows, like a dam in a river. This is very dangerous, as it can cause strokes and heart attacks. A big no-no.

The good one, HDL, is beneficial because it picks up excess cholesterol in our blood. It transports cholesterol to our livers, where it's broken down and Thanos-snapped from our bodies.

Now we can finally speak about the important stuff: food.

Food for high cholesterol: the list

Here's a list of five hand-picked food for high cholesterol:

Oats

Oats are the whole grain for health for three reasons. They’re great source for fiber, B vitamins, iron, and plenty other nutrients. A natural alternative for you, processed food haters. And if that wasn’t enough, their consumption is quite beneficial. Why? Oats contain bioactive compounds called beta-glucans that can help ward off heart disease.

Have a bowl of oatmeal or oat-based cereal such as Cheerios in the morning for breakfast. It gives you 1-2 grams of soluble fiber. Clinical studies also show very clearly that oats can help lower your bad cholesterol!

Nuts

It's okay if nuts are nut your thing. But just like with oats, nuts have the ability to reduce the risk of hearth disease and lower bad cholesterol levels. Research consistently shows that consuming 2 ounces of nuts every day can lower your LDL by about 5%.

But what nuts should you eat? Well, most nutritionist, dietitians, and plenty other sources offer a few options. The main ones are almonds, walnuts, cashews, and hazelnuts, among many others. There are quite a few alternatives in this one for y’all, nutcrackers.

Fatty fish

If you're like my friends, you would've read that and be like "what the heck is fatty fish?" Well, you might also know them by their artistical pseudonym, oily fish. They're basically the best source for 2 out of the 3 most important omega-3s: EPA and DHA.

Eating fatty fishes like salmon 2 or 3 times per week will provide you with some heart-friendly protection. These fishes also provide a potent dose of omega-3 fats, reducing triglycerides and preventing abnormal health rhythms.

Beans

Particularly useful if you're also into foods that help with weight loss. They're rich in soluble fiber and take a while to digest, meaning that they make you feel full for longer. But just like with nuts, there are so many choices and ways to prepare them that one can't help but wonder which to pick.

Well, wonder no more. I'll give you my top 3 ways to eat beans: black beans, lentils, and chickpeas.

Black beans are popular in Central and South America, as they should. They're tasty. They help with blood sugar management, especially paired with whole grain rice. Lentils are a great source of vegetarian protein, and have high levels of iron. And finally, chickpeas. These garbanzo beans are a great source of fiber, protein, and minerals, particularly beneficial for reducing blood sugar.

Blueberries

You know what they say. "Last, but not least". Blueberries possess bioactive compounds called "anthocyanins", powerful antioxidant that have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol levels. The best part is that this reduction can happen in as little as 4 weeks.

Blueberries also contain fiber, phytosterols, and resveratrol, nutrients known to lower bad cholesterol on our bodies. Some say that they can also promote the overall health of your body, so there's really no downside to including them in your diet. This is what makes them a great food for high cholesterol!

Final recommendation

As you consider choosing food for high cholesterol, keep in mind that avoiding certain foods, particularly those that contain saturated and trans fats can help dramatically improve your results. In other words, minimize consuming fats that are solid at room temperature!

Additionally, you can check out my free online courses to discover alternative ways in which you can help your body reduce cholesterol levels by balancing your diet. Likewise, in my Amazon page you'll find my personal list of recommendations to support and increase your overall health and wellbeing.