Food Changes to Improve Your Cholesterol

To manage and lower your cholesterol levels, following a Heart-Healthy diet, in addition to lifestyle changes is highly recommended. Here are some foods you can enjoy to improve your cholesterol levels and protect your heart:

Soluble fiber

Food Source

Benefits

Vegetables

Legumes

Fruits

Whole grains

Healthy Choices

Helps prevent your digestive tract from absorbing dietary cholesterol.

Lean protein

Food Source

Benefits

Plant proteins such as tofu, legumes, nuts and nut butters.

Lean cuts of beef, poultry and pork

Wild-caught fish

Eggs

Healthy Choices

Substituting high fat meat with lean meat will cut down on calories and saturated fats in your diet.

MUFA
(Monounsaturated fatty acids)

Food Source

Benefits

Seeds: sesame, pumpkin, sunflower, ground flaxseed, poppy and chia seeds.

Nuts and nuts butters: almonds, macadamia, pecans and cashews

Oils: flaxseed oil, olive oil

Avocados

Healthy Choices

Substituting high fat meat with lean meat will cut down on calories and saturated fats in your diet.

Olives

lower your total and LDL cholesterol levels but maintain your HDL levels.

Improve function of your blood vessels

Omega-3 fatty acids

Food Source

Benefits

Walnuts, flaxseed and chia seeds
** Omega-3 and fish oil supplements are available. Talk to your doctor before taking any supplements

Fatty fish - Try baking or grilling the fish instead of frying it.
** The highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids are in: Mackerel, Herring, Tuna, Salmon and Trout.

Healthy Choices

High levels of omega-3 fatty acids can reduce your triglycerides and can help increase you HDL levels.

Healthy fats and oils

Food Source

Benefits

Grass-fed butter or ghee

Raw nuts & seeds

Cold-pressed olive oil

Avocado oi

Healthy Choices

Healthy fats are crucial for:

Coconut oil

Improving your cholesterol levels

Keeping your blood sugar balanced

Olives

** Try to stay away from the unhealthy fat sources, such as:
canola oil, corn oil, cottonseed, soybean oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, hydrogenated oils, margarine, butter spread, and trans fats found in margarine, butter spreads and fried foods

Phytosterols (referred to as plant sterol and stanol esters)

Food Source

Benefits

To use sterols and stanols to reduce your LDL cholesterol level, you will need more than these foods can provide.

Naturally present in small quantities in vegetable oil, nuts, legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Healthy Choices

Phytosterols help lower cholesterol by competing with its absorption in the digestive system.

Some foods are now fortified with plant sterols and stanols, these include fortified vegetable oils, cheese, orange juice, milk, and bread. Make sure to read food labels if you are looking to increase your intake.

** Dietary supplements are also available. Ask your doctor if you should get your sterols and stanols from a fortified food or if a dietary supplement is right for you.

References:

Phytosterols, Sterols & Stanols. (2019). Retrieved from
https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cholesterol/hdl-good-ldl-bad-cholesterol-and-triglycerides

Cholesterol: Plant Sterols and Stanols. (2018). Retrieved from
https://familydoctor.org/cholesterol-plant-sterols-stanols/

Can eating certain foods help improve your cholesterol levels? (2018). Retrieved from
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/in-depth/cholesterol/art-20045192

Katherine Zeratsky, R. D. (2018). MUFA-rich foods may help reduce your risk for heart disease. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/mufas/faq-20057775