You Can Lower Your Cholesterol If You Eat This Every Day

Eating a healthy diet and getting sufficient exercise are crucial to keeping the heart healthy. By choosing healthier foods, you can reduce your risk of developing high cholesterol, which contributes to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Cholesterol circulates through the blood, and by having too much of the bad cholesterol (LDL), it can slowly build up in the arteries, causing blockages that can lead to heart attack and stroke (via American Heart Association).

According to Verywell Health, you can lower bad cholesterol by eating more soluble fiber, which can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. While there are two kinds of fibers, soluble and insoluble, per the Mayo Clinic, as little as five to 10 grams of soluble fiber daily can help lower your bad cholesterol. 

According to Everyday Health, the national recommendations for fiber intake are 30 to 38 grams daily for men, 25 grams daily for women 18 to 50, and 21 grams per day in women over 51 year of age. You can find soluble fiber in foods such as oatmeal, beans, potatoes, and berries (via WebMD). 

The Mayo Clinic reports that foods high in monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) like avocados, olives, and nuts, help improve cholesterol levels. Research shows a correlation between eating one avocado a day with lower levels of small, dense particles of bad cholesterol. In regard to the study, distinguished professor of nutrition, Penny Kris-Etherton says, "We were able to show that when people incorporated one avocado a day into their diet, they had fewer small, dense LDL particles than before the diet" (via ScienceDaily).

U.S.News reports that nuts, also high in MUFAs, can reduce LDL cholesterol and also improve blood pressure, a nice bonus for your heart's health. Research shows that eating just a handful of nuts (30 grams) daily can further reduce the risk for heart disease.

There are a variety of delicious, nutritious foods that can lower bad cholesterol and help keep your heart in optimal shape, most of them with additional health benefits. The only question is, which cholesterol reducing foods will you start introducing into your daily diet?