Numerous foods can help lower cholesterol, but combining some of them is significantly more effective than eating them individually, according to a study led by David J. A. Jenkins and published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in March 2006. During this study, more than 30 percent of participants who combined four types of beneficial foods experienced a decrease of more than 20 percent in low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol, the so-called bad cholesterol. A follow-up study by Jenkins published in the journal Metabolism in 2008 indicated that changing this dietary portfolio reduced the beneficial effects.
Soy
Diets high in soy protein are associated with lower cholesterol levels. Registered dietitian Marjorie Geiser recommends substituting soy milk for regular milk, and soy protein foods such as veggie burgers for meat. Adding firm tofu to stir-fry is another way to include soy protein in a combination diet to lower cholesterol. Silken tofu has a creamy texture that's suitable for smoothies and desserts.
Viscous Fibers
The second component of the portfolio is food that contains viscous fibers, a type of soluble fiber. Oats and barley are grains that provide viscous fibers; you can include oats in your diet by eating oat bran cereal and oat bread, notes Geiser. Some vegetables that contain viscous fibers are eggplant and okra.
Nuts
Almonds are another part of the combination diet for lowering cholesterol in the two Jenkins studies. Geiser explains that any tree nut qualifies because they all reduce cholesterol levels. Eat a handful of nuts or add them to breakfast cereal and to stir-fry.
Plant Sterols
Consuming 2 g per day of plant sterols, also called phytosterols, can reduce LDL cholesterol by up to 14 percent, according to the 2008 Jenkins study. Leaving out this component significantly decreased the effectiveness of the dietary portfolio. Phytosterols occur in all plant foods, with the largest amounts in unrefined vegetable, nut and olive oils, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. Other good sources are nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains. Many commercial foods are fortified with plant sterols, including certain brands of margarine, mayonnaise, vegetable oils, salad dressings, snack bars, soy milk, orange juice, milk, yogurt and even meat. The LPI says plant sterols added to margarine, mayonnaise, salad dressings, milk and yogurt are more effective in lowering LDL cholesterol than plant sterols added to other foods.
References
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Assessment of the Longer-Term Effects of a Dietary Portfolio of Cholesterol-Lowering Foods in Hypercholesterolemia
- Metabolism: Effect of Plant Sterols in Combination with Other Cholesterol-Lowering Foods
- The Sideroad: The Portfolio Diet
- Linus Pauling Institute: Phytosterols
