You can start lowering your LDL cholesterol naturally by making a few simple changes to your diet:
1. Eliminate trans fats and saturated fats
Trans fats are created by adding hydrogen to liquid fats to help them solidify. Food manufacturers began using trans fats because they extend the shelf life of packaged baked goods. Fast food vendors adopted them because they can be reused over and over again. Although public pressure has forced the food industry to phase out trans fats, they have not disappeared completely. To avoid accidentally eating them, check the labels on food packages before adding them to your shopping cart. If you see “partially hydrogenated” in the ingredient list, skip it. If trans fats are not banned in restaurants in your area, ask if the chef uses partially hydrogenated oil before you order.
Dietary saturated fat and cholesterol, which come mainly from animal products, are not particularly good for your heart, but you can still eat them in small amounts. Eggs are such a good source that you can eat up to four yolks a week and eat the whites as often as you like. Or you can eat red meat, shrimp, lobster, full-fat cheeses, butter, and organ meats, but only in small amounts every few weeks or so.
2. Eat plenty of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats
Both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids help lower LDL. Most vegetable oils, including canola, safflower, sunflower, olive, grapeseed, and peanut oils, contain both. Fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, trout, herring, and mackerel), seeds, nuts, avocados, and soybeans are also great sources.
3. Eat a Variety of Colorful Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables contain many cholesterol-lowering compounds, including fiber, cholesterol-blocking molecules called sterols and stanols, and eye-catching pigments. The list of heart-healthy foods includes the entire color spectrum, including leafy greens, yellow squash, carrots, tomatoes, strawberries, plums, and blueberries. As a rule, the darker the color, the better for you.
4. Avoid sugar and refined grains
Whole grains are another good source of fiber. Instead of refined flour and white rice, try whole-wheat flour and brown or wild rice. Old-fashioned oats are also a good choice, but not the quick-cooking variety, which has had much of its fiber removed during processing.
And don’t replace fat with sugar. Food manufacturers may increase the sugar content in low-fat sauces and salad dressings to add flavor. If you see sugar, corn syrup, or any word ending in “ose” near the top of the ingredient list, choose a higher-fat version without trans fats.
5. Count Your Calories
All fats, good or bad, have nine calories per gram, or about 100 calories per tablespoon. While you’re transitioning to a heart-healthy diet, you may need to watch your calorie intake for a while.
