Lower Cholesterol: It’s on the Menu

on September 1, 2011
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Lower Cholesterol: It's on the Menu

Five smart—and surprising—diet choices that will help get your numbers in line.

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Get Nutty

A recent analysis reported that people who downed 2.4 ounces of nuts a day had an average drop of 5 percent in total cholesterol and 7 percent in LDL cholesterol. Stick to a handful four to five times a week.

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Eat Chocolate

Italian researchers reported that eating flavonoid-rich dark chocolate lowers LDL by about 10 percent. Studies suggest that about 1.6 ounces daily (about half a standard Hershey’s bar)is enough to offer cholesterol-lowering benefits.

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Change Your Oil

A 2010 study found that monounsaturated fats boosted levels of HDL cholesterol—the kind that protects your heart—by almost 13 percent and reduced harmful LDL cholesterol by 35 percent in just four weeks. Replace other types of fats with mono-rich olive, sunflower, canola and peanut oils, and keep your total fat intake to no more than 25 to 35 percent of daily calories.

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Snack on Seeds

Flaxseeds, that is. Iowa State University researchers report that eating about three tablespoons of flaxseed a day lowered men’s cholesterol by about 10 percent during a three-month study. Grind and add to muffin or pancake batter, or sprinkle on cereals or salads.

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Go Blue

Hamsters who ate foods containing blueberry peels had cholesterol levels up to 27 percent lower than those of hamsters who didn’t nibble on berries. More research is needed (especially on people). But since blueberries taste so great and are healthy anyway, why wait?

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Lower Cholesterol: It's on the Menu

Five smart—and surprising—diet choices that will help get your numbers in line.

Thinkstock

Lower Cholesterol: It's on the Menu

Five smart—and surprising—diet choices that will help get your numbers in line.