By David Liu, Ph.D

Wednesday Aug 24, 2011 (foodconsumer.org) -- Many people may not have to resort to statins to lower their cholesterol, which is linked to heart disease.  A new study suggests simply eating a diet full of cholesterol-lowering foods can lower bad cholesterol significantly.

The study published in the Aug 24/31 issue of JAMA found eating cholesterol lowering foods such as soybeans, soy milk, phytosterol -rich foods, and nuts for six months lowered the low density lipoprotein by as much as 14 percent, compared to the baseline level.

In contrast, a low-saturated fat diet with high amounts of fiber and whole grains, but no cholesterol lowering foods, which is recommended  to control cholesterol levels could only reduce bad cholesterol by 3 percent, compared to the baseline level.

David J. A. Jenkins, MD of the University of Toronto and colleagues instructed one group of people to use a low saturated-fat diet and two groups to use a diet full of cholesterol-lowering foods.  One group on the cholesterol lowering diet visited clinics twice during the six-month follow-up while another group visited clinics seven times to receive dietary instruction.

The cholesterol-lowering diet resulted in a similar reduction in bad cholesterol in the two groups on the diet.

Cholesterol is considered a major risk factor for heart disease.  But research suggests some other factors such as calcium may play even a bigger role.  For instance, calcium supplements were associated with increased risk of heart disease.

Statins lower cholesterol effectively.  But the drugs cause side effects including muscle problems, anemia, acidosis, sexual dysfunction, immune depression, pancreas or liver dysfunction and cataracts to name a few.

Th e authors of the study concluded that is is feasible to use a cholesterol-lowering diet to lower cholesterol and reduce risk of heart disease.