People are more likely to have high cholesterol when their bodies make cholesterol and get it from too many fatty foods like eggs and organ meats, such as liver. The Alabama Cooperative Extension System recommends that people maintain their LDL cholesterol, or bad cholesterol, levels below 130mg per deciliter. Selecting foods low in saturated fats and cholesterol will keep the plasma cholesterol concentrations low. This is also good for the heart.
Oats
Oats are a good source of soluble fiber, which apparently helps low blood cholesterol in people who eat fair quantities of it, according to the Harvard Medical School. Studies indicate that bile acids, which are secreted by gall bladder, stimulate cholesterol efflux, notes the Colorado State University. Soluble fibers allow cholesterol to attach to bile acids in the intestine, so that the body can eliminate cholesterol through the excretion of bile acids.
Beans
Beans are one of the most talked cholesterol-lowering diets. They thought to help in lowering blood cholesterol, according to the Harvard Medical School. Beans contain no cholesterol or saturated fats, so they are virtually fat free. They contain a high amount of dietary fiber, especially soluble fiber, which plays a role in blood cholesterol control when added to the diet. According to The Alabama Cooperative Extension System, a daily intake of 1 to 2g of soluble fiber lowers cholesterol levels by one percent.
Soy
Soy is considered a high quality protein that has low levels of saturated fat but no cholesterol. A number of studies suggest that a high soy protein diet has an impact on high cholesterol levels, the Harvard Medical School says. Many soy products contain isoflavones, a group of phytonutrients that may give its cholesterol-lowering effects.
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