A healthy diet combined with smart lifestyle choices and exercise can reduce or eliminate the need for medication to control high cholesterol. According to MayoClininc.com, while you should aim for a total cholesterol level that falls below 200mg/dl of blood, low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol levels should stay within a range of no more than 100 to 129mg/dl. If yours is higher than this, you run an increased chance of developing heart disease. Because foods proven to help lower cholesterol work differently, the more you include, the better off you will be.
Fiber
According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, adding 5 to 10g of soluble fiber to your diet each day can lead to a 5 percent drop in LDL cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber works by dissolving into a substance that prevents cholesterol and other fats from entering your bloodstream through the intestinal walls. As an example of how easy it is to meet this recommendation, MayoClinic.com notes that having a 1 ½ cup bowl of oatmeal each morning provides 6g of soluble fiber. In addition to oatmeal, barley, whole grains, beans, fruits such as apples, bananas and oranges and vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts and carrots are all good soluble fiber food sources.
Plant Stanols and Sterols
Look at food labels on orange juice, yogurt drinks and margarine to see if they come fortified with stanols or sterols. These are plant-based substances that block cholesterol absorption and according to the NHLBI require 2g daily to reduce cholesterol levels by 5 to 15 percent in only a few weeks. You can fulfill this requirement by drinking two 8-oz. glasses of fortified orange juice each day.
Nuts
In addition to lowering cholesterol by about 5 percent with a 2-oz. serving each day, unsalted, unsweetened nuts, such as walnuts, almonds and peanuts, also protect your heart in other ways, according to Harvard Medical School. Nuts, especially walnuts, are high in polyunsaturated fats, important for healthy blood vessels.
Fish
Fatty fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help lower cholesterol by reducing triglycerides in your bloodstream. According to MayoClinic.com, two servings weekly of fatty fish, such as mackerel, lake trout, salmon or halibut, are the standard doctor's recommendation.
Soy
Harvard Medical School reports that 25g of soy protein each day from products such as tofu or soymilk, can lower LDL cholesterol by 5 to 6 percent. To meet this recommendation consume 10 oz. of tofu or drink 2 1/2 half cups of soymilk each day.
Oils
Liquid vegetable oils, such as canola, safflower, sunflower and olive oil are unsaturated fats. Unlike saturated fats, such as whole milk dairy products, coconut oil and palm oil, liquid vegetable oils do not raise LDL cholesterol levels. However, as MayoClinic.com reports, olive oil, especially extra-virgin olive oil, is high in antioxidants that also work to lower LDL cholesterol.
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