Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as "bad" cholesterol because too much of it can increase your risk for heart disease. The American Heart Association reports that eating an unhealthy diet can affect your LDL cholesterol. Adding fiber-rich foods and healthy types of fat to your diet can help you lower your "bad" cholesterol level.
Fiber-rich Foods
According to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University, foods rich in fiber can help cholesterol profile. It reports that increasing your fiber intake by 10 grams each day can lead to an approximate LDL cholesterol reduction of 22 mg per deciliter. Foods rich in fiber include fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and whole-grain foods such as oats, whole-wheat bread and brown rice. Adding plenty of these types of foods into your diet can help you reach the recommended level of LDL cholesterol, which is 100 mg per deciliter.
Monounsaturated Fats
Foods that include monounsaturated fats can also help you lower your "bad" cholesterol, according to Steven G. Aldana, professor of lifestyle medicine at Brigham Young University and author of "The Culprit and the Cure." Foods that are good sources of monounsaturated fat include avocados, olive oil, canola oil, peanut butter and almonds. Although these foods contain heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, they are still high in calories, and you should be careful to not eat too much. Eating more calories than your body needs, even from healthy foods, can lead to weight gain and an increase in "bad" cholesterol.
Polyunsaturated Fats
Another type of heart-healthy fat is polyunsaturated fat. Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat that can reduce your cholesterol and provide anti-inflammatory and anti-blood clotting actions, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Some foods that include Omega-3 fatty acids are tuna, salmon, walnuts, flaxseeds and some vegetable oils. Foods high in Omega-3s can also reduce high blood pressure, which is another risk factor for heart disease. Adding these types of food, along with foods rich in monounsaturated fats, instead of trans fat and saturated fat will help you get the cholesterol-lowering benefits these foods can provide.
References
- American Heart Association: About Cholesterol
- Linus Pauling Institute: Oregon State University: Fiber
- "The Culprit and the Cure"; Steven G. Aldana, Ph.D.; 2005
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
