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Finding the right diet to control your cholesterol seems like an easy task—until you do one quick Google search and find pages and pages of recommendations. While there is no shortage of cholesterol-lowering foods to choose from, there is a dearth of foods that actually have evidence to show that they work.
Healthy Diet For Lowering Cholesterol
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If you’re trying to lower your cholesterol naturally, you can jump on the latest fad diet that may or may not do anything for you in the long term, or you can follow the science-backed Mediterranean diet.
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Close your eyes and imagine yourself eating al fresco in a Mediterranean villa on a Greek island or on a beach. what to eat Are you scarfing down fast-food cheeseburgers and extra-large sodas? Or do you indulge in a meal made with olive oil, vegetables, grains and seeds? Do you eat alone, or do you enjoy eating with other people? (Related: What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Olive Oil.)
The Mediterranean diet is modeled after the way most people living around the Mediterranean eat. Although it’s called Mediterranean cuisine, it’s actually more
That many people living in this part of the world embrace. They eat with family and friends, stay active, and rarely stuff their faces when they have a free moment when the car stops at a red light. The TV is turned off and they focus on what they are eating.
People who follow the Mediterranean diet tend to avoid added sugars, highly processed and refined foods, and heavily processed meats. Instead, they focus on whole foods that are nutrient-dense and full of antioxidants.
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Overall, it’s a diet rich in whole foods and plant-based foods. Yes, you can drink some wine with your meal.
In the United States, more than 12% of adults had elevated cholesterol levels in 2015-2016. Elevated cholesterol levels are a risk factor for developing heart disease, which, unfortunately, is the #1 killer of both men and women in this country.
Naturally, many people look for ways to lower their cholesterol levels to help protect their ticker from trouble later in life. It can be done by embracing the Mediterranean diet.
The Mediterranean diet has been associated with health benefits since the 1960s. Half a century ago, researchers showed that people living in the Mediterranean region had lower coronary heart disease mortality rates compared to those living in other parts of the world. Since then, a growing body of research has shown that following the Mediterranean diet can lead to both lower total cholesterol and LDL “bad” cholesterol levels.
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According to the study, following a Mediterranean diet appears to be more effective than a low-fat diet in reducing cardiovascular risk factors, including cholesterol levels.
This diet continues to be a favorite in the medical community because of the tried and true results it delivers. (For more: Top 5 Science-Backed Health Benefits of Following the Mediterranean Diet.)
Overall, the Mediterranean diet appears to help keep cholesterol levels healthy; However, there are some specific foods that stand out when it comes to protecting your heart health and following this diet.
One of those foods is extra virgin olive oil. The Mediterranean diet is rich in “healthy” fats, mainly from olive oil, and extremely low in saturated and trans fats. The main fat source consumed in this diet is olive oil. Along with the healthy fats it provides, it is rich in antioxidants and salt-free. The combination of these unique facts may play a large role in the heart health benefits it provides.
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Another Mediterranean diet food group that has been linked to lowering cholesterol levels is whole grains. In a study published in
, eating whole grains lowered LDL cholesterol more than eating refined grains—with the biggest benefit seen when people ate whole-grain oats.
Finally, dietary emphasis on nuts may be a key way to help lower cholesterol. The Mediterranean diet encourages the consumption of nuts, especially walnuts, which may provide some benefit in terms of cholesterol levels. When it comes to nutrition, walnuts are a powerhouse thanks to the healthy fats, fiber, plant-based proteins and antioxidants they provide. In a meta-analysis and systematic review of 26 clinical trials published in
, researchers found that total and LDL cholesterol significantly decreased when walnut-rich foods were consumed.
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As long as you get the green light from your personal health care provider, starting to follow the Mediterranean diet is simple in a few small steps. Small changes can lead to big results, so it’s best to build your new habits by choosing a few principles at a time to follow.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
Following the Mediterranean diet may be the missing link you need to take control of your heart health. Since eating isn’t a sacrifice when you’re vacationing off the coast of crystal-blue seas, the long-term downsides of eating this way are slim. Bon Appetit! For more ways to protect your heart and manage your cholesterol levels, be sure to read about these eating habits to avoid if you don’t want high cholesterol, say nutritionists.
Lauren Manaker is an award-winning registered dietitian, book author and recipe developer who has been in practice for nearly 20 years. Read more about Lauren Does less TV time lower your risk of dementia? Curbing Children’s Farsightedness: Can Outdoor Time Help? Helping Neurodiverse Kids Build Friendships Preventable Liver Disease is on the Rise: What You Eat – and Avoid – Count Trees Prevent Sneezing Drug Recalls Are Common Easy Ways to Shop for Full-Priced Foods Transgender Women’s Prostates Why eat cancer at the bottom of the seafood chain? Can prolonged COVID affect the gut?
Changing the foods you eat can lower your cholesterol and improve the amount of fat floating through your bloodstream. Adding foods that lower LDL, the particle that carries harmful cholesterol that contributes to atherosclerosis, which clogs the arteries, is the best way to achieve a low-cholesterol diet.
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Different foods lower cholesterol in different ways. Some provide soluble fiber, which binds to cholesterol and its precursors in the digestive system and pulls them out of the body before circulation. Some give you polyunsaturated fats, which directly lower LDL. And some contain plant sterols and stanols that block the body’s absorption of cholesterol.
1. Oats. An easy first step in lowering your cholesterol is to have a bowl of cool oat-based cereal like Oatmeal or Cheerios for breakfast. It gives you 1 to 2 grams of soluble fiber. Add a banana or strawberry for another half gram. Current nutritional guidelines recommend getting 20 to 35 grams of fiber per day, with at least 5 to 10 grams coming from soluble fiber. (The average American gets about half that amount.)
2. Barley and other whole grains. Like oats and oat bran, barley and other whole grains help reduce the risk of heart disease, mainly through the soluble fiber they provide.
3. Beans. Beans are especially rich in soluble fiber. They take a while for the body to digest, which means you feel full longer after eating. That’s one of the reasons why beans are a useful food for those trying to lose weight. With so many choices — from navy and kidney beans to lentils, garbanzos, black-eyed peas and beyond — and so many ways to prepare them, beans are a very versatile food.
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5. Nuts. A bushel of studies show that eating almonds, walnuts, peanuts and other nuts is good for the heart. Eating 2 ounces of nuts per day can lower LDL slightly, on the order of 5%. Nuts have additional nutrients that protect the heart in other ways.
6. Vegetable oil. Substituting butter, lard, or shortening in cooking or at the table with liquid vegetable oils and butter, such as canola, sunflower, and safflower, can help lower LDL.
7. Apples, grapes, strawberries, citrus fruits. These fruits are rich in pectin, a type of soluble fiber that lowers LDL.
8. Foods fortified with sterols and stanols. Sterols and stanols extracted from plants increase the body’s ability to absorb cholesterol from food. Companies add them to foods ranging from margarine and granola bars to orange juice and chocolate. They are also available as supplements. Taking 2 grams of plant sterols or stanols per day can lower LDL cholesterol by about 10%.
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9. Soya. Eating soybeans and foods made from them, such as tofu and soy milk, was once touted as a powerful way to lower cholesterol. Analyzes show that the effect is more modest – consuming 25 grams of soy protein per day (10 ounces of tofu or 2 1/2 cups of soy milk) can lower LDL by 5%.
