Low Cholesterol Foods To Help Reduce Cholesterol

The title sounds redundant, and may seem to be obvious - but, yes certain foods can contribute to lowering your cholesterol. For many, high cholesterol may be genetic. For others it may be lack of exercise. It may also be due to diet and the foods one eats. The last two things and individual can control.

We all have to eat, so why not eat healthy food? If you have high cholesterol, there are things you can do to help lower the cholesterol in your system.

Those who love to eat red meat and other dishes that are fatty are at risk of raising their cholesterol. Just as a high fatty diet can increase the raising of the "bad" cholesterol numbers, other foods can help increase the "good" cholesterol.

Having a balanced diet is important for nutrition and weight management. There are other considerations as well, including the amount of high fatty foods one ingests. With all the fad diets out there that subscribe to a high protein, low carbohydrate diet, it is not hard to see how one's cholesterol can start to creep up.

Oatmeal is touted as being a great food to lower the bad cholesterol -  LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) - without lowering the good, HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol. The soluble fiber in oatmeal and other oats can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream.

Like oats and oat bran, other foods high in fiber, like barley and other whole grains can help lower the risk of heart disease, mainly through the soluble fiber they deliver.

Other high fiber foods include apples, bananas, pears, and kidney beans.

Another food group that has been known to lower LDL and increase HDL are ones that have Omega-3 fatty acids, like fish.  Wait!  "Fatty" acids?  That doesn't sound good.  You do need to have some fat in your diet and certain fish actually helps reduce triglycerides in the bloodstream.

Some fish high in Omega-3 include:

• Mackerel
• Lake trout
• Herring
• Sardines
• Albacore tuna
• Salmon
• Halibut

Remember to get the benefit, avoid frying the fish, but opt to bake or grill the fish instead to avoid the unhealthy fat and oils.

You can get Omega-3 in a supplement or flax seed, but you will not receive as much as if you eat the fish itself.

Grabbing a handful or two or nuts can help lower your cholesterol.  Nuts are also rich in fiber, and antioxidants such as Vitamin E and selenium. These tasty snacks are also high in plant sterols and fat - but mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which have all been shown to lower the bad LDL cholesterol.

Examples include almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, some pine nuts, peanuts, pistachio nuts and walnuts.  Eating a couple servings a day may reduce your risk of heart disease. Just make sure the nuts you eat aren't salted or coated with sugar.

As I briefly touched on above, not all fat is bad, and fat plays a significant part of keeping your body working properly, from building cell membranes to performing essential functions in your brain, eyes, and lungs. So do not cut out fat all together.  Instead, replace the bad fats with the good fats. What is the difference?

bad fats = saturated fat and trans fat

The saturated fats found in fried food, red meat, whole milk and some other dairy foods, along with coconut and palm oils directly boost LDL. Trans fat is a byproduct of the chemical reaction that turns liquid vegetable oil into solid margarine or shortening - a process called hydrogenation.

good fats = monounsaturated and polyunsaturated (liquid fats)

Foods containing these types of fats actually contribute to raising the HDL and lowering LDL cholesterol.

Examples of foods with monounsaturated fats include:  canola, peanut, and olive oils. Other foods include avocados; nuts (as mentioned) and seeds such as pumpkin and sesame seeds.

Examples of foods with polyunsaturated fats include:  sunflower, corn, soybean, and flaxseed oils, Foods include walnuts, flax seeds, and fish.

Part of eating healthy is not just to lower your cholesterol, but to adapt a healthy life.  The important thing to remember is that you should strive to REPLACE many of these unhealthy foods with the healthy choices, not just simply add them to the menu.

If you are still eating deep-fried donuts for breakfast along with your oatmeal and a triple cheeseburger for lunch before you round off you day with baked fish, you will probably not achieve the results you want.

It is also important to have that balanced diet I mentioned above, and acknowledge that even healthy foods have calories.

The information you read here is not intended to be medical advice. It is general health information and does not take into account your particular health status nor is it a substitute for personal medical care.  Neither HubPages or the author shall be liable for any damages arising out of advice given in this article.  Please seek a professional dietitian or doctor for specific diet restrictions and suggestions.