Cholesterol: Top foods to improve your numbers

Cholesterol is important for your body. But too much low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, also called "bad" cholesterol, can raise your risk of heart disease and stroke. Some people need medicine to manage cholesterol. But food choices and other heart-healthy habits such as exercise can help a lot.

A heart-healthy diet is not about one "superfood." It is about building simple habits over time. The goal is to eat more foods with fiber and healthy fats and less of the foods that raise cholesterol.

Fiber helps remove cholesterol from your body before it gets into your blood. Foods such as oats, beans, lentils, apples, pears and vegetables can help. Even adding a little more fiber to your diet each day can lower your cholesterol.

Five to 10 grams or more of soluble fiber a day can decrease your LDL cholesterol. One serving of a breakfast cereal with oatmeal or oat bran provides 3 to 4 grams of fiber. If you add fruit, such as a banana or berries, you'll get even more fiber.

The type of fat you eat also matters. Some fats are better for your heart than others. Healthy fats, such as those in olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds, can help lower LDL cholesterol. At the same time, it helps if you cut back on unhealthy fats found in fatty meats, butter and full-fat dairy products.

Saturated fats, such as those in meat, butter, cheese and other full-fat dairy products, raise your total cholesterol. Decreasing your consumption of saturated fats to less than 7% of your total daily calorie intake can reduce your LDL cholesterol by 8% to 10%.

Trans fats, sometimes listed on food labels as "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil," were often used in margarines and store-bought cookies, crackers and cakes. Trans fats raise overall cholesterol levels. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned the use of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils in processed foods sold after Jan. 1, 2020.

You also can support your heart by eating foods with omega-3 fats. These do not lower LDL cholesterol, but they help your heart in other ways. They can lower another type of fat in your blood, called triglycerides, and increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol. Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, herring and mackerel are good choices for omega-3 fats. Plant foods such as flaxseed and walnuts also are high in omega-3 fats.

Try to eat fish a few times each week. Baking or grilling the fish avoids adding unhealthy fats.

There are many dietary supplements available that can help with a heart-healthy diet including fiber, Omega-3 and fish oil supplements. Talk to your healthcare professional before taking any supplements.

Another simple step is to choose whole grains instead of refined grains. Whole grains such as oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat bread, barley and quinoa have more fiber and nutrients that support heart health. They can help lower cholesterol and keep you feeling full longer.

Fruits and vegetables should be a big part of your meals. They are low in fat and high in fiber, vitamins and other nutrients. Eating a mix of colorful fruits and vegetables such as leafy greens, berries, citrus fruits and broccoli can help protect your heart.

You also might try adding more plant-based proteins to replace animal-based proteins at some meals. Foods such as beans, lentils, chickpeas and soy give you protein without the unhealthy fats found in many animal-based foods. You do not have to change everything at once. You can start by adding beans to meals or choosing a few plant-based meals each week.

Sterols and stanols are substances found in plants that help block the absorption of cholesterol. Foods or spreads that have been fortified with sterols or stanols are available.

Margarines and orange juice with added plant sterols can help lower LDL cholesterol. Adding 2 grams of sterol to your diet every day can lower your LDL cholesterol by 5% to 15%.

It's not clear whether foods with plant sterols or stanols lower your risk of heart attack or stroke — although experts assume that foods that lower cholesterol do cut the risk. Plant sterols or stanols don't appear to affect levels of triglycerides or of HDL cholesterol.

At the same time, it is important to limit foods that raise cholesterol. These include red meats and processed meats, fried foods, baked goods, and full-fat dairy. Small changes can help, such as choosing lean meats, cooking with healthy oils and cutting back on processed foods.

The good news is that you do not need to be perfect. Small steps can add up over time. Each healthy food or supplement may lower cholesterol only a little on its own. But using more than one together over time may have a much greater effect. You might start your day with oatmeal, use olive oil instead of butter, snack on fruit or nuts, or fill half your plate with vegetables.

In the end, your overall eating pattern matters most. Diets such as the Mediterranean style or portfolio diet can help reduce and manage cholesterol. The Mediterranean diet focuses on whole foods, healthy fats and fiber. The portfolio diet focuses on eating a wide variety of plant-based foods. These patterns are known to help lower cholesterol and support heart health.