To lower cholesterol, focus on drinks like green tea, soy milk, oat milk, tomato juice, berry smoothies, and water with lemon or plant sterol/stanol fortified drinks, while reducing sugary sodas, juices, and creamy beverages, as antioxidants, fiber, and plant compounds in these choices help reduce "bad" LDL cholesterol and improve heart health.
9 Beverages That Can Naturally Lower Your High Cholesterol
Here are 10 foods to add to your diet for a healthier you
opt for water, tea and coffee (without adding sugar) as heart-healthy drinks, instead of sugar-sweetened drinks (such as soft drinks, cordial, energy drinks and sports drinks) include foods with healthy omega-3 fats (for example, fish such as salmon, sardines and tuna) reduce or limit your alcohol intake.
To remove cholesterol from your body, adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle by eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats (like olive oil, nuts, and fish) while reducing saturated/trans fats (fatty meats, fried foods, baked goods) and sugar; get regular exercise (30 mins most days); quit smoking; maintain a healthy weight; and limit alcohol, as these changes boost good HDL cholesterol and lower bad LDL cholesterol, with medication sometimes needed for stubborn cases.
A few changes in your diet can reduce cholesterol and improve your heart health:
What are the worst foods for high cholesterol?
Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods
Oatmeal has soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol. Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears.
Eat less fatty food
To reduce your cholesterol, try to cut down on fatty food, especially food that contains a type of fat called saturated fat. You can still have foods that contain a healthier type of fat called unsaturated fat. Check labels on food to see what type of fat it has in it.
Most experts will tell you the very first thing you should reach for is water. It is natural, it contains all the elements that our bodies are craving but for many people it's one of the last things they consider after options such as tea, coffee, hot chocolate, milk, and fruit juices.
It's a free, simple, and low-impact exercise. Aim for brisk walks that get your heart pumping. That could be power walking with arm swings or a leisurely stroll, whatever feels right for you. Studies show regular brisk walking offers numerous benefits, including lowering LDL and raising healthy HDL cholesterol.
Meanwhile, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, fiber, and plant sterols may help lower cholesterol. To get the most accurate baseline, avoid high-fat foods for a few days before testing. Steer clear of fried dishes, full-fat dairy, fatty meat cuts, baked goods, and tropical oils.
High cholesterol is caused by a mix of unhealthy lifestyle habits (poor diet high in saturated/trans fats, sugar, lack of exercise, smoking, excess alcohol, obesity) and non-modifiable factors like genetics (familial hypercholesterolemia), increasing age, and certain medical conditions (hypothyroidism, kidney disease) or medications, all leading your liver to produce too much LDL ("bad") cholesterol or not enough HDL ("good") cholesterol, resulting in plaque buildup in arteries.
Instead of saturated fats, switch to foods with healthier fats, such as lean meat, nuts, and unsaturated oils like canola, olive, and safflower oils. Limit foods with cholesterol. If you are trying to lower your cholesterol, you should have less than 200 mg a day of cholesterol.
Though brewed coffee does not contain actual cholesterol, it does have two natural oils that contain chemical compounds -- cafestol and kahweol -- which can raise cholesterol levels. And studies have shown that older coffee drinkers have higher levels of cholesterol.
Replacing unhealthy fats with healthy fats, such as those found in oily fish, can significantly help in improving cholesterol levels and overall heart health. Bananas are naturally low in fat, making them a heart-friendly choice for individuals looking to maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
1. Walking raises your “good” cholesterol and lowers your “bad” cholesterol. A brisk 30-minute walk three times per week is enough to raise your “good” cholesterol (HDL) and lower your “bad” cholesterol (LDL) a few points. This amount of exercise, even without weight loss, is shown to improve your cholesterol levels.
High cholesterol often has no symptoms, but when it causes problems, warning signs include chest pain, shortness of breath, numbness or coldness in limbs, unexplained fatigue, dizziness, headaches, leg pain/cramps, yellowish skin deposits (xanthomas), a grey ring around the iris (corneal arcus), and slow-healing sores/ulcers on feet, indicating poor circulation. These signs often point to related conditions like Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) or heart issues from plaque buildup, but the only sure way to know is a blood test.
Lifestyle modifications are often the first line of treatment for high cholesterol. These include following a healthy diet and getting regular exercise. Vitamins C, D, and B3 (niacin) may help lower cholesterol as well. And probiotics, berberine, and red yeast rice are other potentially effective supplements.
Give cheese on toast a miss and instead use sliced or mashed avocado to top wholegrain toast or crumpets. This quick snack is rich in unsaturated, rather than saturated, fats. Try a sprinkle of seeds or chilli flakes for an extra kick. Read more from our dietitian about avocados and fat.
How long do lifestyle changes take to lower cholesterol? Reducing how much saturated fat you eat and eating more fibre, as well as following a balanced diet like the Mediterranean diet, can help reduce cholesterol levels by as up to 10 per cent typically by 8 to 12 weeks.
To be sure that Weet-Bix™ Cholesterol Lowering is as effective as all the science around plant sterols, Sanitarium ran a trial with Professor Peter Clifton, Professor of Nutrition at the University of South Australia. This trial showed that cholesterol was effectively reduced by up to 9% within 4 weeks.
Regularly enjoying foods like berries, chia seeds, low-fat dairy, beans, avocados, and nuts as snacks may help lower your cholesterol. These foods are rich in nutrients like fiber and healthy fats, which work to reduce LDL and other blood lipids, lowering your risk of heart disease.
The TLC diet recommends limiting serving sizes or replacing foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol with healthier options. Fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans and lentils), nuts, whole grains, low- or non-fat dairy products, fish, poultry without the skin, and in moderate amounts, lean meats are good options.