What to eat if you have high cholesterol


LearnHeartUp close & personal: protect your heart from high cholesterolWhat to eat if you have high cholesterol
100 Percent whole grains
Nutrient-rich vegetables
Deeply-colored fruits
Beans
Unsalted nuts
Healthy oils

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Your diet can be a powerful tool when it comes to managing your cholesterol. Eating a healthy mix of foods can help you lower your levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL, aka “bad” cholesterol) while raising your levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL, aka “good” cholesterol). The key lies in a strategy that eliminates high-fat, artery-clogging foods (those high in saturated fats and trans fats like red meat, French fries, cookies, chips, and ice cream) and emphasizes heart-healthy ones like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and plant-based oils.

Let’s head to the kitchen to find tasty ways to improve your cholesterol.

Sources: National Lipid Foundation. Viscous Fiber... + 3
  1. National Lipid Foundation. Viscous Fiber and Your Cholesterol. Last reviewed July 2021.
  2. Harvard Medical School. 11 foods that lower cholesterol. August 13, 2021.
  3. Ha V, Sievenpiper JL, de Souza RJ, et al. Effect of dietary pulse intake on established therapeutic lipid targets for cardiovascular risk reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. CMAJ. 2014 May 13;186(8):E252-62.
  4. Kim SJ, de Souza RJ, Choo VL, et al. Effects of dietary pulse consumption on body weight: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016 May;103(5):1213-23.
Written by Taylor Lupo.
Medically reviewed by Ann Wendling, MD, MPH.May, 2024
Updated onAugust, 2026

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