5 foods that can lower your cholesterol naturally

Processed and packaged convenient foods have led to a skyrocketing cholesterol epidemic. It is a fact that your diet impacts your cholesterol numbers. Your cholesterol is closely monitored because high levels are linked to increased risk of heart disease and stroke. If you have high cholesterol, you must limit foods raising bad cholesterol (LDL) and choose those increasing good cholesterol (HDL).

Where cholesterol comes from

There are two sources of cholesterol in our bodies. Your liver and other cells in your body make up about 75% of blood cholesterol. The remaining 25% comes from foods you eat—mainly animal products like meat, egg yolks, and dairy.

The cholesterol in your diet raises the cholesterol level in your blood, but that is not the biggest threat. Saturated fat in your diet raises your LDL levels more than anything else you eat. Since cholesterol and saturated fat often occur together in foods, cutting back on saturated fat also helps lower cholesterol intake.

A holistic approach to lowering cholesterol

Nancy Waldeck, chef at Cancer Wellness at Piedmont, encourages a holistic diet over simply following low-fat, low-sodium, or low-cholesterol plans.

"Everyone should strive to eat healthy, balanced meals that are rich in fresh vegetables and fruits. The darker the color, the better. It's this overall healthy lifestyle approach that will help your body in many ways — lowering your risk for heart disease, inflammation, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and the list goes on."

Cholesterol-lowering foods

To maintain healthy cholesterol levels, Waldeck recommends incorporating the following foods into your diet:

1) Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods. Foods high in soluble fiber help reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Soluble fiber is also found in kidney beans, apples, pears, barley and prunes.

2) Fish and omega-3 fatty acids. Fatty fish is heart-healthy due to its omega-3s, which can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of blood clots. The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two servings of fish each week. Fish should be baked or grilled to avoid adding unhealthy fats.

3) Walnuts, almonds and other nuts. Eating a daily handful of nuts—like almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts may reduce your risk of heart disease. Avoid salted or sugar-coated nuts, which add unnecessary sodium and calories.

4) Olive oil. Olive oil is rich in antioxidants that lower “bad” (LDL) cholesterol without affecting “good” (HDL) cholesterol. Extra-virgin olive oil lowers cholesterol more because it’s less processed and higher in heart-healthy antioxidants.

5) Foods with added plant sterols and stanols. Many foods are now fortified with plant sterols or stanols, which help block cholesterol absorption. Margarines, orange juice and yogurt drinks with added plant sterols can help reduce LDL cholesterol by more than 10%. Aim for at least 2 grams of plant sterols daily—about two 8-ounce servings of fortified orange juice.

"If you are eating healthy foods 80-90% of the time, then it's okay to eat that piece of chocolate cake," Waldeck says. "It's maintaining a balanced approach that will deliver long-term health benefits."

This balanced approach goes beyond diet. It includes living a healthy lifestyle by exercising, maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking.

Book an appointment with a Piedmont cardiologist today.