Foods That Are GOOD for Your Cholesterol:

Curb Cholesterol, Not Flavor: It’s no secret that certain foods can help you lower your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, which causes a buildup of plaque in the arteries that leads to heart disease, heart attacks, and stroke. But what may surprise you is that many of these foods are delicious and easy to incorporate into your everyday meals without sacrificing flavor or fun.

Indulge a Little: Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, antioxidants that help lower LDL levels. Just make sure to eat in moderation, as chocolate is also high in saturated fat and sugar. You can also use dark, unsweetened cocoa powder in your cooking to get similar heart-healthy effects.

Awesome Avocados: There’s more to avocados than just guacamole. They give you oleic acid, which helps lower the bad cholesterol in your bloodstream. Try putting a few slices on your turkey sandwich, or add them to a salad. Avocado oil, which has a subtle, sweet flavor, can also be used in place of other oils in cooking.

Raise a Glass: Red wine contains resveratrol, a substance found in the red grape skin, which may prevent damage to blood vessels by reducing the risk of blood clots and lowering LDL. Drinking too much alcohol can cause a host of other health issues, however; so while a glass of red wine at dinner is fine, don’t overdo it.

Tea Time: Both black and green teas contain powerful antioxidants that may reduce cholesterol levels. Green tea typically contains more of these antioxidant powerhouses, as it is made from unfermented leaves and is less processed. Just go easy on the cream and sugar.

Go Nuts for Nuts: Nuts are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, so almonds, walnuts, or pistachios can help reduce your LDL levels. Try sprinkling them on your salad, or eat them right out of hand as a snack. Just be sure to choose the low-salt option, and keep it to about 1.5 ounces a day -- nuts are also high in calories. For almonds, that’s about 30 almonds or 1/3 cup.

Wholesome Whole Grains: Barley, oatmeal and brown rice have lots of soluble fiber, which has been proven to lower LDL cholesterol by reducing the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Try switching out your regular pasta for the whole-grain version, or use brown rice instead of white. To give an added cholesterol-busting kick, top your morning oatmeal with high-fiber fruit like bananas or apples.

Go Fishing: Fish like salmon, albacore tuna, sardines, and halibut are all rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce triglycerides in the blood. Aim for 8 ounces of fish a week, and bake or grill the fish -- don’t fry it -- to keep it healthy.

Versatile Olive Oil: Olive oil is a plant-based fat, so it's a better choice when you're trying to lower your "bad" cholesterol than fats that come from animals. It’s great mixed with red wine vinegar, a minced garlic clove, and a little ground pepper for a salad dressing. For something different, try braising vegetables like carrots or leeks. Just drizzle 3 tablespoons of oil over vegetables in a snug baking dish, scatter some herbs, cover with foil, and put in a 375-degree oven for about 45 minutes.

Oh Boy, It’s Soy: Edamame, soy milk, and tofu are high in protein, and eating just 25 grams a day can reduce your cholesterol by 5 to 6 percent. Snack on edamame, top off your bowl of cereal with soy milk, or sub tofu for meat in your stir-fries.

Bountiful Beans: Black beans, kidney beans, lentils, oh my! All are rich in soluble fiber, which binds to cholesterol in the blood and moves it out of the body. Recent studies show eating 4.5 ounces of beans a day can reduce LDL levels by 5 percent. Try black bean burritos, or dip some veggies in hummus, which is made with chickpeas, for an afternoon snack. Beans are so versatile, the possibilities are endless.

Make a Fruitful Change: Pears and apples have a lot of pectin, which is a type of fiber that can lower cholesterol. So do citrus fruits like oranges and lemons. Berries are also high in fiber.

Eat Your Veggies: Most vegetables are high in fiber and low in calories. Eggplant and okra contain high amounts of soluble fiber. Eggplants are also high in antioxidants. But any kind of vegetables will give you fiber and nutrients that are good for you.

Fortified Foods: Natural chemicals called sterols, which you get from plant foods, help your body absorb less cholesterol. Now, many foods from granola bars and yogurt to orange juice are fortified with plant sterols, which can help reduce cholesterol levels by 6% to 15%. Just check the label to make sure you're not getting too many calories.

Reviewed by: James Beckerman, MD, FACC on June 14, 2018

SOURCES:

American Heart Association.
Cleveland Clinic.
American Journal of Clinical Medicine.
University of California.
Mayo Clinic.
University of Maryland Medical Center.
The National Center for Biotechnical Information.
The Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University.
U.S. Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010.
Harvard Medical School.
The Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Foods That Are BAD for Your Cholesterol:

Foods Labeled ‘Low Cholesterol’: When you're shopping and you see an item that says it’s low in cholesterol, you still need to check the nutrition label. If it's high in saturated fat, it can raise your LDL ("bad") cholesterol. Also check the serving size. It might be smaller than you think, and if you eat too much, you'll get more cholesterol than you realized.

Coffee: Your morning cup of joe just might give your cholesterol level an unwanted jolt. French press or Turkish coffee lets through cafestol, which raises levels of LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol. Espresso does too, but serving sizes are small, so there’s less to worry about. If you drink drip coffee, you’re in the clear. The filter catches cafestol, so stick to drip.

Thai Takeout: Thai food is spicy and delicious, but it can raise your cholesterol if you don’t choose carefully. The secret ingredient? Coconut milk. It makes curries smooth, and it’s high in saturated fat. Scan the menu instead for stir fries or noodle dishes, and ask to have your dinner steamed or made with vegetable oil. Choose chicken rather than beef, throw in some extra veggies, and enjoy your takeout guilt-free.

Granola: Do you hear “granola” and think “health food"? That chewy, crunchy goodness often comes with a hefty serving of saturated fat. Even brands of “low-fat” granola can be higher in saturated fat than some other kinds of cereal. A whole-grain cereal topped with fresh fruit may be a better choice.

Shrimp: You’ve probably heard seafood is a good choice when you’re watching cholesterol. That’s true, but shrimp is an exception. One serving, even if you cook it without fat, has about 190 milligrams of cholesterol. The American Heart Association recommends limiting cholesterol to 300 milligrams per day, or 200 milligrams per day if you have heart disease or high cholesterol. Try the scallops instead. They have less than a quarter of the cholesterol of shrimp.

Flour Tortillas: To build a better taco, you have to start with the foundation. Flour tortillas -- even the whole wheat ones -- may sound like the best choice, but they’re not. They’re higher in saturated fat than corn tortillas. (Assuming you don’t fry your corn tortillas in oil, of course.) Start with a corn tortilla (check the label to make sure it wasn't made with lard) and add those healthy toppings: grilled chicken, juicy tomatoes, and chopped lettuce.

Organ Meats: “Nose to tail” eating may be trendy in the restaurant world, but it could leave your cholesterol trending up. Organ meats such as liver, kidneys, and sweetbreads are higher in cholesterol than other cuts of meat. Beef liver is high in iron, though there are other foods that aren't organs that give you iron. Enjoying a 3-ounce portion once a month is OK.

Stick Margarine: Butter vs. margarine can be a tricky choice. Both have saturated fats and should be used sparingly. But here’s the easy part: If you’re using margarine, choose soft tub margarine rather than the stick variety. Tub varieties are lower in fats and are better for your LDL or “bad” cholesterol level. Read the nutrition label, and look for one low in saturated fats and with no trans-fat.

Pasta: The Mediterranean diet is supposed to be good for lowering cholesterol, right? And it is, as long as you make the right choices. Think marinara or marsala, not meatballs, and linguine with clams, not lasagna. As long as you steer clear of sauces with butter or cream bases and avoid pastas stuffed with meat or cheeses, pasta can be a healthy part of your diet. Just don't eat too much.

Energy Bars: They’re marketed for people who work out, so energy bars have to be a good choice, right? Maybe. Check the nutrition label. You might be surprised at the amount of saturated fat in some. Look out for those with tropical oils like palm oil and palm kernel oil, which add saturated fat.

Ghee: Indian food can be a fine choice, but only if you hold the ghee. What is ghee? It’s clarified butter -- and that means saturated fats and cholesterol. How much? One tablespoon of ghee has 33 milligrams of cholesterol, about 11% of the recommended daily amount. It's a staple of Indian cooking, so if you're eating out, ask your server how much ghee is in your dish, and if you're cooking, check the recipe to make sure it fits your diet.

Duck: If chicken and turkey are good low-cholesterol choices, duck should be too, right? Not so. Duck and goose are both higher in cholesterol than chicken and turkey. One cup of cooked duck or goose -- even with the skin removed -- has about 128 milligrams of cholesterol. The same portion of chicken has only 113 milligrams of cholesterol, and turkey is an even better choice at 93 milligrams.

Some Dairy Products: How many times did Mom tell you to finish your milk because it was good for you? She’s right: Dairy helps you get the calcium and vitamin D you need. Just look for fat-free and low-fat versions, which deliver the nutrients without the same amount of cholesterol. You can also switch yogurt for sour cream in recipes to further cut the saturated fat and cholesterol.

Reviewed by Arefa Cassoobhoy, MD, MPH on May 19, 2014

SOURCES:
American Heart Association: "Common Misconceptions About Cholesterol."
American Heart Association: "About Cholesterol."
American Heart Association: "What Is Cholesterol."
Higdon, J. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, published online Jan. 18, 2007.
American Heart Association: "Tips for Eating Thai Food."
National Institutes of Health: "Facts about Cholesterol."
U.S. Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.
American Heart Association: "Know Your Fats."
American Heart Association: "Tips for Eating Mexican Food."
U.S. Department of Agriculture SuperTracker.
American Heart Association: "Meat, Poultry and Fish."
American Heart Association: "Cooking for Lower Cholesterol."
American Heart Association: "Common Misconceptions about Cholesterol."
American Heart Association: "Tips for Eating Italian Food."
American Heart Association: "Frequently Asked Questions about “Bad” Fats."
Nutrition information for Balance Bar Dark Chocolate Coconut.
Nutrition information for Luna Bar Nutz Over Chocolate.
American Heart Association: Tips for Eating Indian Food.
American Heart Association: Cooking for Lower Cholesterol.
American Heart Association: "Milk Products — AHA Recommendations."

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