High blood cholesterol levels are associated with cardiovascular disease, the number one cause of death in the United States today. Fortunately, there are dietary and lifestyle measures you can take to lower your cholesterol levels and limit your risk of heart disease and stroke. You can modify your risk of cardiovascular disease and lower your blood cholesterol by exercising on a regular basis, limiting your exposure to tobacco smoke, and favoring certain foods that help lower cholesterol levels.
Oats and High-Fiber Foods
Oats provide a source of soluble fiber, which is linked to lowering levels of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL cholesterol. Other foods that contain soluble fiber include kidney beans, apples, pears, barley and prunes. Soluble fiber reduces blood cholesterol by decreasing the amount of cholesterol that the bloodstream absorbs. Five to 10g of daily soluble fiber can decrease your LDL and total cholesterol levels. A serving of 1.5 cups of cooked oatmeal provides 6g of soluble fiber.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Fish
Nutrition and health professionals often refer to omega-3 fatty acids as heart healthy, because they are linked to reductions in blood pressure and a lower risk of developing blood clots. You should eat at the minimum two servings of fish per week. Bake or grill it to limit the amount of added fat. Fish especially rich in omega-3 fatty acids include mackerel, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon. If you don't like the taste of fish, you can also get some omega-3 fatty acids from ground flaxseed, canola oil, or a supplement.
Nuts
Nuts such as walnuts and almonds help lower blood cholesterol levels by promoting the health of blood vessels in part because of the polyunsaturated fats they contain. Eating a small amount of sugar- and salt-free nuts every day can help improve your cholesterol profiles without adding excess calories.
Olive Oil
Eating olive oil is a powerful way to reduce blood cholesterol levels. It contains a variety of antioxidants that help reduce LDL cholesterol without altering your HDL, or healthy cholesterol, levels. Extra-virgin olive oil has even greater effects on blood cholesterol, because it is richer in heart-protective antioxidants.
