How to Eat Foods That Reduce Cholesterol

Keeping your cholesterol in check is key to living a healthy, happy life. The best way is to eat foods that help keep your cholesterol under control.

Step 1: Get a cholesterol level test Get a cholesterol level test from a medical professional to learn if your "bad" and "good" cholesterol levels are balanced at medically acceptable levels.
Step 2: Eat food with soluble fiber Eat food containing soluble fiber such as whole grain bread and pasta, beans, and soy products. Soluble fiber helps move cholesterol through the intestines.
Step 3: Eat mostly unsaturated fats Eat mostly "good" or unsaturated fats found in nuts and avocados -- or cook with vegetable oils like olive, canola, and corn oil.
Step 4: Avoid saturated fats Avoid saturated fats. Most ingested cholesterol comes from animal and dairy products. Select lean meat with minimal visible fat. Drink nonfat milk.
TIP: Consider going vegan, which means giving up all animals products, including meat, fish, eggs, and dairy. Many people have seen their cholesterol levels drop after going vegan.
Step 5: Get food recommendations Get specific cholesterol-lowering food recommendations from authoritative resources like the Mayo Clinic and the American Heart Association.
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