High blood cholesterol is linked to a higher risk of health problems like high blood pressure, depression, and heart disease. Taking steps to lower your cholesterol may seem daunting, but there’s a really simple way to lower your cholesterol: Eat more fiber.
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that isn’t digested, meaning it passes through your digestive system relatively intact. Fiber is found in foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, seeds, and whole grains. Fiber helps you feel full and keeps your digestive system running smoothly.
Dietary cholesterol is found in foods like meat, dairy, and eggs. In your body, cholesterol travels with other fats and proteins in complexes called lipoproteins. If you’ve ever heard of LDL or HDL cholesterol, the second “L” stands for “lipoprotein.” LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein, while HDL stands for high-density lipoprotein.
LDL is considered “bad” cholesterol because it contributes to plaque buildup in the arteries (which can increase the risk of heart disease and blockages). HDL is considered “good” because it collects cholesterol stored in the body and returns it to the body for elimination.
There are two main types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Most plant foods contain both, but in varying amounts.
- Soluble fiber: Soluble fiber can dissolve in water and form a gel-like substance in the stomach, slowing digestion. This helps control your blood sugar and cholesterol. Soluble fiber is found in: fruits and vegetables, legumes such as lentils and beans, oats, barley, psyllium seeds
- Insoluble fiber: Insoluble fiber cannot dissolve in water and usually passes through the stomach intact. This fiber helps speed up digestion and adds bulk to maintain regular bowel movements and reduce the risk of diarrhea. Insoluble fiber is found in: fruits and vegetables (especially the skin), whole grains, nuts, seeds.
How does fiber lower cholesterol?
One of the main mechanisms by which soluble fiber lowers cholesterol is through binding to bile acids in the intestine. Bile acids are made from cholesterol, and when they are bound to soluble fiber, they are excreted from the body instead of being reabsorbed. This process forces the liver to use more cholesterol to produce new bile acids, thereby reducing the amount of cholesterol circulating in the blood
Soluble fiber can also be fermented by gut bacteria, producing short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as butyrate, acetate, and propionate. These SCFAs can inhibit cholesterol synthesis in the liver, contributing to lower blood cholesterol levels.
How can you add more fiber to your diet?
Try these ways to distribute fiber throughout your meals:
- Eat a high-fiber breakfast
- Try chickpea or oatmeal toast with nuts and berries.
- Choose whole grains
- Try foods like brown rice, quinoa, or whole-wheat pasta. Look for bread that lists whole-wheat flour as the first ingredient.
- Focus on non-starchy vegetables
- Start dinner with a salad. Or add spinach, broccoli, or cold vegetables to your meal to boost fiber.
- Add beans or other legumes
- Try adding beans like lentils and peas or other legumes (pinto beans, broad beans, lima beans, navy beans, chickpeas) to salads, sandwiches, stews, or casseroles. You can also puree beans to make dips and sauces.
- Eat more fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds
- Add fruits and vegetables like apples, pears, bananas or carrots to your meals and snacks. Try almonds, sunflower seeds or pistachios for a quick fibre-rich snack.
In summary, Soluble fiber plays a significant role in lowering cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. By binding bile acids, promoting the production of SCFAs, and inhibiting cholesterol synthesis, soluble fiber effectively reduces LDL cholesterol. Incorporating fiber-rich foods into the diet is a practical and effective strategy for managing cholesterol levels and improving heart health.
