Eating cholesterol removing foods and limiting the amount of unhealthy fats in your diet can significantly improve your cholesterol levels. Too much saturated or trans fat in the diet elevates blood cholesterol to raise your risk of heart disease. Excess cholesterol clogs up the arteries and dramatically slows down blood flow to the heart. To combat too much cholesterol entering the bloodstream, eat foods with cholesterol-lowering properties for heart health.
Bad Fats
Animal products, such as meat, poultry and dairy foods, contain saturated fats that raise low-density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol. LDL forms plaque on the walls of arteries over time to reduce the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart. Trans fats, found in many processed foods, such as fried foods in restaurants, are made from hydrogenated oils to keep foods fresher. They not only raise LDL, but also reduce protective high-density lipoprotein, or HDL cholesterol. HDL gathers excess cholesterol in the arteries and carries it to the liver, which treats it as waste. You want low levels of LDL and high levels of HDL to improve your total blood cholesterol count. MayoClinic.com advises limiting saturated fats and eliminating trans fats.
Unsaturated Fat
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats lower LDL and raise HDL, the Harvard School of Public Health points out. Replace butter or other additives high in saturated fat with olive, canola or peanut oils, which contain monounsaturated fats, when preparing or cooking foods. Other sources of monounsaturated fats include almonds, pecans, hazelnuts and avocados. Walnuts, flaxseed and oils made from flaxseed, walnuts or corn contain polyunsaturated fats.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Certain fish contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat. They include albacore tuna, salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel and lake trout. A diet high in these fatty fish may significantly raise HDL cholesterol and protect against stroke by helping to clear blood clots in the arteries, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC. Eating two servings of fish a week can improve your cholesterol levels. Omega-3's also come from the nuts, seeds and oils containing polyunsaturated fats.
Fiber Foods
Enjoy plenty of high-fiber fruits, vegetables and whole grains to help lower cholesterol. Fiber foods provide you with a satisfying fullness, so you're less likely to want high-fat foods. Choose fresh or canned fruits packed in water or natural juices. Eat raw or steamed vegetables and avoid fried, breaded or creamy vegetables. Keep fresh fruit and vegetables available for quick snacks. Whole grains contain more fiber and nutrients than refined grains. Heart-healthy whole-grain foods include whole-grain or whole-wheat bread, pasta and cereals; whole-wheat flour; oatmeal; oat bran; brown rice; and plain, air-popped popcorn.
