Top 5 Cholesterol-Lowering Foods to Include in Your Diet: A Nutritionist’s Guide

Some foods are not part of a healthy diet really, But it can also help reduce cholesterol.

Eating too much saturated fat in your diet can raise your blood cholesterol levels, but eating a healthy, balanced diet can lower those levels. Certain foods have also been shown to be able to lower blood cholesterol levels.

Nutritionist Victoria Taylor offers the top five cholesterol-lowering foods to include in your diet, according to the website

1 – Unsaturated fat

A low-fat diet is probably the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to lowering cholesterol. But instead of cutting out all fat, it’s more important to get the right types of fat in your diet.

Too much saturated fat is linked to high cholesterol levels, and our national dietary surveys say most of us are eating more than recommended.

Unsaturated fats such as olive oil, canola oil or sunflower can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels instead of saturated fats such as butter and ghee… It is also important to be aware of the amount of saturated fat in the foods we eat. Some of the most important sources in our diet are fatty meats, biscuits, cakes, pastries and chocolate.

Tip: Check the labels of the foods you buy to make sure they don’t contain high levels of saturated fat. Think about what foods you could try instead, for example, eating fattier fish instead of red and processed meat.

2 – Oats and barley

It contains a type of soluble fiber called beta-glucan. These fibers form a gelatinous substance in the digestive system that helps prevent the absorption of cholesterol in the body. When we eat 3 grams per day, it can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

For example, a bowl of oatmeal made with 40 grams of oats provides about 1.4 grams of beta-glucan. Therefore, try to eat 2 to 3 portions of oats or barley per day.

3 – Beans and lentils

Beans and lentils are a good source of soluble fibre. Therefore, you can replace red and processed meat with plant-based proteins like these, which will reduce saturated fat in your diet. You can cook beans or lentils or use those in water for convenience.

Cooked beans are also a good option if you are not used to including beans and lentils in your diet. Try to use those with less sugar and salt.

4- Nuts and seeds

Nuts are a good source of unsaturated fat as well as fiber and other nutrients. They are filling, tasty and a convenient alternative to snacks such as chocolate, cakes and biscuits, which are usually high in saturated fat.

Eating these nuts can help lower blood cholesterol levels, just make sure you choose natural nuts so you don’t add more salt or sugar to your diet.

5 – fruits and vegetables

We should all eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, and although this is a well-known recommendation, most of us can’t eat that much fruit and vegetables.

One benefit of eating more food is that it is a source of fiber and eating more fiber is associated with a lower risk of heart and circulatory disease. There is both soluble and insoluble fiber in fruits and vegetables that make them a good choice that helps reduce blood cholesterol levels.