What foods will lower your cholesterol?

Many people are concerned about cholesterol levels and heart disease and stroke.  A lot of us have changed our diets thinking we are eating foods that lower cholesterol and giving up some foods that we had enjoyed for years.  This week my husband and I were treated to dinner at my daughter’s and son-in-law’s home.  We enjoyed some wonderful homemade crab cakes, fresh bread and potatoes.  An old-fashioned butter dish was on the table with a stick of real butter.  My daughter said they had switched from margarine to real butter as margarine had too many chemicals in it.  Interesting because my husband and I have switched back to real butter.  Since it is hard to spread, we get the butter mixed with canola oil.  I don’t think a little real butter will do much damage to our cholesterol levels.   What foods can you eat that have been found to lower blood cholesterol levels?  My sister sent me some articles on foods that lower your cholesterol and I always go to the Mayo Clinic, WebMD and other reliable sites for their advice.

What is cholesterol and how is it related to heart disease?

For years people just worried about total blood cholesterol.  But now when you go to the doctor for blood work, they do a lipid panel of Total Cholesterol, LDL Cholesterol, HDL Cholesterol and Triglycerides.  Your body actually needs cholesterol and your body even makes some cholesterol.  LDL Cholesterol is called the “bad cholesterol” as that is the one related to heart disease.  Cleveland Clinic notes, “The fact is, elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the bad cholesterol, is a major cause of heart disease.  LDL causes the build-up of fatty deposits within your arteries, reducing or blocking the flow of blood and oxygen your heart needs.  This can lead to chest pain and heart attack.”  The goal is to have levels of LDL cholesterol less than 100 mg/dl.  Eat This, Not That interviewed Leslie Cho, MD, a cardiologist.  “There are ways to manage high cholesterol, and the wonderful news is that heart disease is 90% preventable.  Even if you have significant family history of high cholesterol, you can prevent heart disease.”   What are some of the ways to do so?

What is a heart-healthy diet?

A great diet to help reduce one’s risk of heart disease is the Mediterranean Diet (See Best Diets for Health 2022 ).  The Mediterranean diet focuses on fruits, vegetables, fish, olive oil and whole grains.  Researchers have found it is the saturated fat in foods, not the cholesterol, that raises the bad LDL cholesterol.  Thus, a heart-healthy diet cuts back on foods high in saturated fat.  That is why for years, whole milk and butter were put on the “no” list.  But more recent research has found that eating full fat dairy products may actually lower one’s risk of heart disease.  A study in PLOS medicine of 4,000 Swedish 60-year-olds followed for a span of 16 years, found those who ate dairy products had a lower risk of heart disease.  Another study on dairy fat and heart disease noted that consuming full-fat dairy products are full of nutrients that contribute to a healthy diet and are also anti-inflammatory.  They found that milk has a neutral effect on heart disease, well yogurt and cheese may have a positive or neutral effect.  This study also noted they are referring to dairy products made from cow’s and not the plant-based milks like almond milk as “.. these products are not nutritionally similar to dairy products, often inferior and as such they are not considered part of the dairy food group in nutritional guidelines.”  

The Mediterranean Diet is a heart healthy diet.

What are some heart healthy fats?

We need some fat in our diets. But what are some heart-healthy fats we can enjoy?  We want to avoid saturated fats but we can enjoy unsaturated fats.  The American Heart Association recommends, “For good health, the majority of fats that you eat should be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated.  Eat foods containing monounsaturated fats and/or polyunsaturated fats instead of foods that contain saturates and/or trans fats”. 

What foods are high in monounsaturated fats? 

Some heart healthy oils include olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, and sesame oil as these are rich in monounsaturated fats.  Foods rich in healthy fats include avocados, peanut butter and many nuts including almonds, cashews, and pecans.  

Omega-3 fats are also heart healthy as these fats lower triglyceride levels but raise levels of the good HDL cholesterol.   Eating more foods rich in omega-3 fats thus reduces risk of heart disease.  Omega-3 fats are found in fish like tuna, salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, trout and seafood like crab, shrimp, clams, and scallops.   Other foods that provide omega-3 fats include:  olive oil, canola oil, walnut oil, walnuts, and flaxseeds.  (For more information, see What are Omega 3 fats and why are they good for you? )

Eat more fiber.

Fiber acts like a sponge and helps remove cholesterol from your body.  Fiber also is food for the good bacteria in your intestines.  The Mayo Clinic notes: “Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your blood stream. Five to 10 grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your LDL cholesterol.  One serving of a breakfast cereal with oatmeal or oat bran provides 3 to 4 grams of fiber.”  Add some fruit to your cereal and you add even more fiber.  I like oatmeal and add fresh blueberries, raisins and some walnuts to my oatmeal.  Try to add more fresh fruit and vegetables to your day.  Aim for 5 A Day, at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

So many ways to eat healthier and cut your risk of heart disease.  If you are just getting started on eating healthier to lower your cholesterol, focus on small changes.

• Eat a handful of nuts as a snack.
• Bring some fresh fruit with you to work.
• Pack a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch with some fresh fruit.
• Read about the Mediterranean Diet and ways you can incorporate more of this way of eating.
• Start cooking with heart healthy oils like olive oil, safflower oil, or canola oil.
• No time for cereal at breakfast? Eat a bowl of whole grain cereal for a snack and add some fresh fruit to the cereal.

Adopt some of these heart healthy eating habits to reduce your risk of heart disease.

Sources:  notes , cardiologist , Best Diets for Health 2022 , study , noted , recommends , monounsaturated fats , heart healthy , Omega-3 fats , notes    Image Sources:  Good bad cholesterol , Mediterranean Diet , Healthy fat