Your body needs cholesterol to build cells, produce hormones, and perform other essential functions. But too much LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in your blood can contribute to plaque build-up in your arteries, increasing your risk of heart disease and stroke.
Luckily, there are certain foods that can help your body eliminate more cholesterol or reduce how much enters your bloodstream in the first place.
“Cholesterol is in a constant state of being produced, recycled, used, and eliminated by the body,” Alexander LeRitz, MSc, RDN, CDN, CNSC, CPT, a registered dietitian at JM Nutrition, told Verywell.
The foods you eat can influence that process in several ways, from trapping cholesterol-related compounds in your digestive tract to helping your liver clear LDL from your blood. Here are 5 foods that can support healthy cholesterol levels.
1. Oats
Oats (and other whole grains, like barley) are rich in beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber that forms a gel-like substance when it mixes with liquid in your digestive tract. This gel helps trap bile acids, which your body makes from cholesterol, to aid in the digestion of fats.
Normally, your body recycles much of these bile acids. But soluble fiber helps carry some of them out through your stool instead.
“Since bile acids are made from cholesterol, loss of bile acids stimulates our liver to utilize more cholesterol to make replacements, which ultimately can contribute to lower LDL cholesterol levels,” LeRitz explained.
2. Legumes
Legumes like chickpeas, black beans, lentils, and split peas are another excellent source of cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber. Similar to the fiber in oats, soluble fiber in legumes can reduce bile acid reabsorption, prompting your liver to use more cholesterol to make replacements, according to Mindy Haar, PhD, RDN, CDN, FAND, chair of the Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences at New York Institute of Technology.
There’s another potential benefit, too. Gut bacteria also ferment certain soluble fibers into short-chain fatty acids, said Haar. These compounds may help slow cholesterol production by signaling the liver to produce less cholesterol. But researchers are still studying how much these compounds contribute to lower cholesterol levels in humans.
3. Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables, particularly those containing soluble fiber, can help lower cholesterol. Apples and citrus fruits are particularly good sources of pectin, a type of soluble fiber that helps your body get rid of cholesterol through digestion, according to Haar.
Beyond fiber, fruits and vegetables contain plant sterols, which can help limit how much cholesterol your intestines absorb.
“The chemical structure of plant sterols and stanols is similar to that of cholesterol, which allows them to interfere with the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine,” LeRitz said. “This means that overall, less cholesterol is absorbed and more is excreted through the stool.”
4. Nuts and Seeds
Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, chia seeds, and flaxseeds offer a combination of heart-healthy unsaturated fats and fiber that can help lower LDL cholesterol.
Unsaturated fats are particularly beneficial when they replace saturated fats, which can raise LDL cholesterol. Making this swap can help your liver clear more LDL particles from your bloodstream, according to LeRitz.
Nuts and seeds also provide fiber and plant compounds that support healthy cholesterol levels. So they’re a great choice for snacks, salad toppings, or additions to oatmeal and yogurt.
5. Healthy Fats
Avocados, olive oil, and fatty fish like salmon, trout, and sardines are other sources of heart-healthy fats you can add to your diet.
For example, swapping butter for olive oil or choosing fish instead of fatty cuts of red meat can help reduce your saturated fat intake, an important step for keeping LDL cholesterol in check.
Fatty fish also provide omega-3 fatty acids, which are particularly effective at lowering triglycerides, another type of fat in your blood. While omega-3s don’t consistently lower LDL cholesterol, they offer additional benefits for cardiovascular health.
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