Whole grains are an important part of a balanced diet, especially when it comes to heart health and cholesterol control.
Whole grains are unrefined, so they contain the entire grain kernel, including the nutritious bran and germ, while refined grains only contain the endosperm.
Consuming whole grains more often than refined grains has been shown to improve total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (bad cholesterol).
Choosing whole grains over refined grains means you’ll consume more fiber, which is important for heart health and lowering cholesterol.
How do grains help you have healthy cholesterol?
Grains are often underrated because they’re high in carbohydrates, but the carbohydrates in grains actually have many benefits that are often overlooked. Whole grains are one of the best sources of fiber, a type of carbohydrate that helps support healthy cholesterol levels and heart health.
Choosing whole grains, which are rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber, can lower bad cholesterol and triglycerides without lowering good cholesterol.
While both types of fiber are important in the diet, soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol (Soluble fiber forms a gel-like structure in the gut and binds to cholesterol to help it move out of our bodies). Increasing your daily intake of 5 grams of soluble fiber can help lower total cholesterol by about 6 milligrams per deciliter and lower LDL cholesterol by 8 mg/dL.
Additionally, bacteria in your gut can ferment soluble fiber very easily. When gut bacteria ferment fiber, they produce beneficial short-chain fatty acids. Along with acting as an energy source, short-chain fatty acids have been shown to reduce cholesterol production in the liver, leading to lower cholesterol levels.
Which Grains Can Help You Have Healthy Cholesterol?
There are five popular grains that you should include at least three to five servings of whole grains in your diet each day for healthy cholesterol levels, and they are oats, whole-wheat pasta and bread, barley, and brown rice.
1. Oats
Oats are one of the best sources of beta-glucan, a heart-healthy soluble fiber. Oat beta-glucan has been shown to significantly reduce total and LDL cholesterol levels in people with high cholesterol.
There are many different ways to eat oats, including sweet and savory. To boost the grain’s staying power, try adding a scoop of your favorite protein powder or mixing it with eggs or cottage cheese for an extra protein boost.
2. Pasta
Unlike refined white pasta, whole-wheat or whole-grain pasta is rich in fiber. Fiber plays an important role in preventing blood sugar spikes, reducing the risk of excess sugar in the blood, and helping to prevent increases in triglyceride and cholesterol levels.
3. Whole-grain bread
Limit white bread and choose whole-grain bread. When choosing bread, look for whole-grain bread or bread made from multiple whole grains to provide fiber and other important nutrients that support heart health and improve cholesterol levels.
Whole-wheat bread and other whole-grain breads still have the bran and germ intact, which is where all the cholesterol-lowering nutrients are. Refined breads typically do not provide these important nutrients, and when consumed in excess, they can negatively affect cholesterol.
4. Barley
Like oats, barley is an excellent source of beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that has been shown to promote heart health.
Enjoy whole grain barley instead of refined barley. Whole grain barley provides these cholesterol-lowering benefits while also adding variety and flavor to your meals.
5. Rice
While white rice can be part of a heart-healthy diet, choosing brown rice more often may provide specific heart-related benefits. Brown rice contains added fiber, which can help lower bad cholesterol levels while promoting heart health.
In addition to cholesterol-lowering fiber, brown rice also contains plant compounds called phytosterols that have been shown to lower bad cholesterol levels.
