Cholesterol is a fatty substance that can cling to your artery walls and contribute to restricted blood flow, heart disease and other health problems. The two types of cholesterol are high-density lipoprotein, or HDL, cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol. HDL cholesterol is known as "good" cholesterol, as it actually works to prevent "bad" LDL cholesterol from clustering into deposits. A shift in diet to lower-cholesterol foods can help to prevent cholesterol build-up in your blood.
Acceptable Cholesterol Levels
The American Heart Association recommends you have a maximum blood cholesterol level of 200 milligrams per deciliter of blood, or mg/dL. The AHA also suggests you have an HDL cholesterol level of over 60 mg/dL and an LDL cholesterol level of 100 mg/dL or less. If you have a history of heart disease or diabetes, the AHA recommends lowering your total and LDL cholesterol levels even more.
Reduced Cholesterol Intake
Although your body produces its own cholesterol, most of the cholesterol build-up in your blood can be attributed to a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet. While not the only culprit, animal products such as red meat, eggs and whole-fat dairy are generally high in both cholesterol and fat. Reducing the amount of hamburger, bee steak and whole-fat diary products you eat can help to drop your blood cholesterol level.
Fibrous Foods
Fibrous foods such as oats and nuts work to reduce cholesterol by sweeping through your system and removing toxins such as cholesterol deposits. A bowl of oatmeal can give you up to 2g of the 5g to 10g of soluble fiber that the Mayo Clinic suggest you eat daily. Peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds can help you reduce cholesterol levels up to 5 percent with just a handful per day. Many fruits and vegetables are also high in fiber, including apples, strawberries, avocados, grapes, artichokes and citrus fruits.
Food Substitutions
One way to work low-cholesterol foods into your diet is to substitute them for high-cholesterol foods. For example, fish are rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids but they are also a good source of protein that you can eat in place of higher-cholesterol options such as steak, hamburger and deli meats. Olive oil is packed with heart-healthy antioxidants and monounsaturated fats and works well as a substitute for butter to saute vegetables, or mixed with vinegar in place of creamy salad dressings. Fibrous fruit is a good option as a snack in place of high-fat processed desserts.
Plant Sterols and Stanols
Plant sterols and stanols are often recommended for individuals with high cholesterol because they work as natural blocks to the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream. Harvard Medical School suggests that just 2g of daily of sterols or stanols can help reduce LDL cholesterol levels by 10 percent. Foods commonly fortified with sterols and stanols include orange juice, margarine spreads, salad dressings and yogurt drinks.
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