Here are some good general suggestions for lowering cholesterol:
- Eat a fiber rich breakfast such as oatmeal, whole grain muffins, fruit. Read cereal box nutrition labels to choose one with 5 grams or more of fiber per serving. Oat bran and rice bran are the most effective.
- Switch to whole grains. Choose whole grain breads, crackers, bagels, muffins, waffles, pancakes
- Eat five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. One at breakfast, one veggie (e.g. carrot sticks, tomato slices) and one fruit (e.g. orange sections, apple) at lunch, and one salad and one cooked vegetable at dinner … that makes an easy five!
- Eat legumes (beans) at least three times a week. Try bean soup, cold bean salad, hummus sandwiches, black bean dip, toasted soy beans as snacks. Soy protein is especially effective, so be sure to include plenty. Even soymilk, tofu and textured soy protein are good.
- Choose whole fruit, skin included, instead of juice. Juice is the fruit with all the fiber removed.
- Eat garlic. Cooked or raw garlic both contain compounds that help lower your liver’s production of cholesterol.
- Other good foods include raw onion, salmon, olive oil, almonds, walnuts, avocados (the latter five are all high in fat but most of it is monounsaturated fat which helps to improve cholesterol).
- Eat plenty of foods that contain the natural antioxidants, vitamins C and E :
| Rich in Vitamin C | Rich in Vitamin E | ||
| sweet red and green peppers | cantaloupe | sunflower seeds | walnuts |
| strawberries | papaya | almonds | peanuts |
| oranges | grapefruit juice | wheat germ | soybeans |
| broccoli | brussel sprouts | wheat germ oil | soybean oil |
9. Studies show that a little bit of wine or beer helps cholestrol levels.
- Binge drinking is not effective, but light to moderate drinking through the week is.
