A clinical low-cholesterol diet can help reduce your cholesterol in two ways. First, by working lower-cholesterol foods into your diet, you can actively reduce existing cholesterol deposits in your blood. Second, eating more low-cholesterol foods will serve to displace the higher-cholesterol foods you might otherwise eat. Cholesterol is produced in animal livers, so a move away from cholesterol-rich animal products such as whole-fat dairy and red meat toward grains, fruits and vegetables can keep your cholesterol in check.
American Heart Association Recommendations
Cholesterol is a wax-like substance divided into two types. The so-called "bad" cholesterol is low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol, while the "good" cholesterol is high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or HDL. HDL cholesterol fights overall cholesterol by helping to prevent the LDL cholesterol from clinging to artery walls.
The American Heart Association recommends you keep your total cholesterol readings below 200 mg per deciliter of blood. HDL cholesterol should be above 60, and LDL cholesterol should be below 100 mg.
Fibrous Foods
Fibrous foods generally have low or no cholesterol and help carry cholesterol deposits and other toxins out of the body. The Mayo Clinic recommends eating 5 g to 10 g of soluble fiber daily, and fruits such as apples, strawberries, grapes and citrus fruits have a lot of soluble fiber in the form of pectin. Oats are also high in fiber, and a bowl of oatmeal can carry up to 2 g of soluble fiber. Nuts like peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts have fiber and can help lower cholesterol by 5 percent. Some of the many vegetables that are also high in fiber include artichokes and avocados.
Healthy Oils
Healthy oils that are liquid at room temperature are usually a healthier substitute for the saturated fats and oils that are solid at room temperature. The Food and Drug Administration recommends having 23 g of olive oil daily, as it is high in antioxidants that help protect the heart and lower cholesterol. You can work olive oil into your diet by using it as a substitute for heavy dipping sauces, or in place of butter when you saute vegetables.
Plant Sterols
Plant sterols can lower your cholesterol by blocking the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. As a result, Harvard Medical School suggests getting 2 g of plant sterols daily to lower LDL cholesterol by up to 10 percent. Many foods are now fortified with plant sterols, including margarine spreads, salad dressings and orange juice.
Fatty Fish
Fatty fish are particularly rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which work to reduce both triglyceride and blood cholesterol levels. The American Heart Associaiton suggests eating two or more servings weekly of fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon, tuna, halibut or lake trout. Fish are also a good source of protein in place of higher-cholesterol options like ground beef or steak. While a 3-ounce portion of lean red meat can carry 78 mg of cholesterol, the same size serving of halibut only has 35 mg of cholesterol.
References
- The Mayo Clinic: High Cholesterol
- American Heart Association: Prevention and Treatment of High Cholesterol
- Harvard Health Publications: 11 Foods That Lower Cholesterol
- National Cholesterol Education Program: High Blood Cholesterol
- Health Castle: Top 5 Super Foods to Lower Cholesterol
- American Heart Association: Cholesterol Levels
