Ways to promote healthy cholesterol levels

Your cholesterol levels are determined in part by genetics and in part by lifestyle choices. While you can't do anything to change your genes, here are some positive lifestyle choices that promote healthy cholesterol levels:

Eat more fiber rich foods.  Foods rich in fiber, both soluble and insoluble, can improve your cholesterol profiles and lower your risk of heart disesae. Soluble fiber, found in oats, beans, barley and citrus fruit can help lower levels of LDL (or "Bad") cholesterol.  A diet rich in fiber also helps you to feel satisfied with fewer calories, which helps you maintain a health weight--another important way to reduce your risk of heart disease.   

To get more fiber, start the day with a high fiber cereal, eat plenty of whole fruits and vegetables, choose whole grains over refined grains, and enjoy beans or legumes at least three times a week. Because they are also high in protein, beans make the perfect choice for a meatless meal. Enjoy bean soups, black bean veggies burgers, three bean salad, bean dip or hummus.

Avoid trans fats and lmit saturated fats.  You might be surprosed to learn that saturated and trans fats have a much bigger impact on your blood cholesterol levels than the dietary cholesterol found in foods like eggs and shrimp.  Trans fats are found in foods made with hydrogenated fats or oils--and these should be aovided.  Saturated fats are primarily found in fatty cuts of meat, whole milk dairy products, and tropical oils.

The Institute of Medicine recommends that saturated fats be limited to 10% of your total calories. That's about 10 grams per day for most people.  Try to get most of your daily fat calories from monounsaturated fats. Olive oil, olives, avocadoes, and nuts are all good sources of monounsaturated fats.

Up your intake of plant sterols and stanols. These naturally occuring compounds, known collectively as phytosterols, have been found to lower LDL cholesterol levels by blocking its absorption into cells.  Corn, rice, nuts, and legumes contain small amounts of phytosterols.  You can get higher levels from  specially formulated yogurt, peanut butter, mayonnaise, and margarine. One or two servings of phytosterol-enriched products is enough to have positive benefits on cholesterol levels.

Enjoy garlic and onions. Both contain compounds that help modulate the liver's production of cholesterol.

Consume alcohol in moderation.  Moderate consumption of alcohol (that's no more than 2 drinks a day for men or 1 drink a day for women) can help promote healthy cholesterol levels. But drinking more than this increases your heart disease risk, so drink moderately or not at all.  Red wine also contains flavonoids and other antioxidants that can help reduce heart disease risk.

Next Steps:
Find foods that are high in fiber and monounsaturated fats

Related Content:
Heart Healthy Targets
What's a heart healthy diet?

Go to the Heart Health Resource Center