4 Low-Cholesterol Breakfasts That Aren’t Oatmeal

We've heard the message loud and clear — oatmeal does wonders for the ticker. And even though you can enjoy it savory or sweet, and the options for toppings are just about endless, you can only eat so much oatmeal, right?

So when it comes to taking care of your heart health and thinking about lowering your cholesterol through diet, what other foods can you turn to besides a bowl of oats? The good news is, you've got options: Foods with soluble fiber, healthy fats and other plant compounds can help lower your levels.

Here are four breakfast recipes to get you on your way.

Read more: What You Should Know About the TLC Diet to Lower Cholesterol

How can a chocolate smoothie help lower your cholesterol, you might ask? By adding beans into the mix. Beans are loaded with soluble fiber, and this type of fiber is especially beneficial for our hearts. One of the reasons, according to the Cleveland Clinic, is because soluble fiber binds to bile in our guts and flushes it from our systems. Bile is made up of cholesterol, so this type of fiber essentially helps to flush cholesterol from your body.

A half-cup serving of white beans, like the ones used in this recipe, has six grams of fiber — and we promise, you won't taste them.

Get the Creamy Chocolate Cinnamon Smoothie recipe and nutrition info here.

Nuts were long chastised because they're so high in fat, but nowadays we understand that healthy fats are good for us, and they're especially good for our hearts. Nuts are also a good source of fiber, antioxidants and other heart-healthy plant compounds, according to the International Tree Nut Council.

This recipe calls for walnuts, which are unique from other nuts in that they provide a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids which, you guessed it, are good for the heart. A randomized controlled feeding study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in May 2019 found that using walnuts in place of saturated fats (think: processed meats like bacon and sausage) lowered total and LDL cholesterol levels.

Get the Walnut and Flaxseed Soy Yogurt recipe and nutrition info here.

Millet is an ancient grain and, according to the Whole Grain Council, it's staging a major comeback — and who doesn't love a comeback story? Millet is the cholesterol-lowering star in this dish, although the figs and pumpkin seeds help, too.

Researchers in an August 2015 meta-analysis published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, reviewed data from 24 randomized studies comparing a whole grain group to a control (non-whole grain) group. The findings showed that eating whole grains, like millet, significantly lowered both LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol levels compared to the control group. Millet also makes a great gluten-free option.

Get the Cinnamon and Spice Millet Porridge recipe and nutrition info here.

The cholesterol-lowering stand out in this dish is the mighty grape, although the whole-grain bread and peanut butter offer benefits, too.

Grapes and other fruits like apples and citrus have pectin, which is a type of soluble fiber that is especially heart healthy. But in addition to the soluble fiber, grapes have been shown to reduce risk factors for heart disease, oxidative stress, inflammation and blood pressure, all of which play a role in heart health, according to the California Grape Commission.

Get The Goob Peanut Butter Toast With Greek Yogurt and Grapes recipe and nutrition info here.