LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, cholesterol is known as the "bad" cholesterol as opposed to the "good" high-density lipoprotein, HDL, cholesterol. LDL cholesterol tends to stick to artery walls and restrict blood flow, contributing to heart disease and other health problems. HDL cholesterol helps to prevent LDL cholesterol from accumulating in the blood. To reduce LDL cholesterol quickly, you should both reduce your intake of high-cholesterol foods and include more low-cholesterol options in your diet.
Fibrous Foods
High-fiber foods help clean out cholesterol deposits and other toxins from your bloodstream. Nuts such as peanuts, walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds are high in fiber and just a handful a day can help lower your cholesterol by 5 percent. The Mayo Clinic suggests you eat 5 g to 10 g of soluble fiber per day and you can get up to 2 g of soluble fiber from one bowl of oatmeal. Many fruits and vegetables are also high in fiber, including avocados, artichokes, strawberries, apples, grapes and citrus fruits.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce your blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels and are found in abundance in fatty fish. The American Heart Association recommends you eat two or more servings per week of fatty fish such as halibut, tuna, salmon, mackerel and lake trout.
Plant Sterols and Stanols
According to Harvard Medical School, just 2 g of plant sterols and stanols can help drop your LDL cholesterol level by up to 10 percent. Sterols are natural plant fibers that help block the absorption of cholesterol into the bloodstream. You can find many foods fortified with plant sterols including orange juice, salad dressings, yogurt drinks and margarine spreads.
Substitutions to Reduce High Cholesterol
Many low-cholesterol foods can be good substitutes for higher-cholesterol options in your diet. For example, in addition to being high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids, fatty fish is also high in protein. You can lower your cholesterol intake by eating fish instead of higher-cholesterol proteins like steak and hamburger. Olive oil is a good substitute for higher-fat, higher-cholesterol foods such as butter and creamy salad dressings. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration recommends you get 23 g of olive oil per day due to the high level of antioxidants in olive oil.
Acceptable Cholesterol Levels
The American Heart Association recommends keeping your LDL cholesterol level below 100 mg per deciliter, mg/dL, of blood. The AHA further recommends keeping your HDL cholesterol above 60 mg/dL and your total cholesterol below 100 mg/dL.
