Choosing an overall healthy diet that is rich in high fiber fruits, vegetables and whole grains and is low in total fat as well as saturated and trans fats is recommended for lowering your blood cholesterol levels. There are specific foods that may be particularly beneficial for lowering blood cholesterol levels, such as legumes, oats and almonds.
Legumes
Legumes, such as starchy beans and peas, are high in dietary fiber, especially soluble fiber which, according to Colorado State University Extension, helps lower total and LDL or "bad" cholesterol levels. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, legumes that provide the most soluble fiber include lima beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, navy beans and black beans. Per 1/2-cup serving, cooked, lima beans offer 3.5g of soluble fiber; kidney beans provide 3g; and pinto, navy and black beans each have 2g.
To reduce LDL cholesterol, MayoClinic.com recommends that up to 10g of the total dietary fiber you consume every day should be in the form of soluble fiber. Adult women, aged 19 years and above, should aim to consume 21 to 25g of total fiber daily. Adult men, aged 19 years and above, need 30 to 38g daily according to the Food and Nutrition Board's Institute of Medicine.
Oats
Oats are rich in a particular type of soluble fiber known as beta-glucan. According to several research studies, including one published in February 2010 in the "Journal of the American Dietetic Association," when study participants who had a total cholesterol level of 220mg/dL or higher added a ready-to-eat whole oat breakfast cereal to their diet as part of a weight-loss plan, they enjoyed a significant 8 to 23 percent reduction in blood cholesterol levels.
In addition to beta-glucan, oats contain compounds known as saponins. These compounds work in conjunction with soluble dietary fiber to bind cholesterol and carry it out of the body. According to an article published in June 2010 in "Atherosclerosis Supplements," saponins reduce absorption of cholesterol in the intestinal tract. This helps reduce levels of LDL or "bad" cholesterol levels in the bloodstream.
Almonds
Nuts, particularly almonds, lower cholesterol levels, especially LDL cholesterol levels. The more almonds you eat, the more significant the reduction, despite their relatively high fat content. According to a research study published in the journal "Circulation," in September 2002, study participants who ate 2.5 oz. almonds daily lowered their LDL cholesterol, levels by a significant 9.4 percent. Those who consumed about 1.3 oz of almonds daily enjoyed a smaller but significant reduction in LDL cholesterol levels by about 4.4 percent.
References
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: Soluble Fiber Tipsheet
- Colorado State University Extension: Dietary Fiber
- MayoClinic.com: Nutrition and Healthy Eating--Cholesterol: Top 5 foods to lower your numbers
- Pubmed.gov: Whole-Grain Ready-to-Eat Oat Cereal, as Part of a Dietary Program for Weight Loss, Reduces Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Adults with Overweight and Obesity More Than a Dietary Program Including Low-Fiber Control Foods
- Pubmed.gov: Reduction in Intestinal Cholesterol Absorption by Various Food Components: Mechanisms and Implications
- "Circulation"; Dose Response of Almonds on Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors: Blood Lipids, Oxidized Low-Density Lipoproteins, Lipoprotein, Homocysteine, and Pulmonary Nitric Oxide; DA Jenkins et al; Sep 2002
