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# Foods that lower cholesterol, risk of heart disease
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/lower_cholesterol_risk_of_heart_disease_0825110712/
- Published: 2011-08-25T20:12:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T15:57:16.000Z
- Description: A study found that a diet built around cholesterol-lowering foods such as nuts, plant sterols and soy beat a low-saturated-fat diet at lowering bad cholesterol. Harvard Medical School lists other options: oats, barley, beans, eggplant, pectin-rich fruits, and two ounces of nuts a day.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Food, Nutrition, Cholesterol, #vivvo-import

By David Liu, Ph.D.

Thursday Aug 25, 2011 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study confirms that eating cholesterol lowering foods such as nuts, plant-sterols and soy helps lower bad cholesterol, which is believed to increase risk of coronary heart disease. 

The study found a diet full of cholesterol-lowering foods worked better than a low saturated fat diet, which is recommended for people to lower their serum levels of cholesterol.

Soy and nuts are not the only foods food consumers may use to control their cholesterol or risk of heart disease. According to an article posted on the website of Harvard Medical School, at least ten foods that can do the same trick even though they render a cholesterol lowering effect through different mechanisms.

One type of foods provide soluble fiber, which is said to be able to bind cholesterol and prevent it from getting into blood stream. Oats, barley and other whole grains, beans, and eggplant and okara may be foods of this type. 

Many fruits including apples, strawberries, citrus fruits and grapes are good sources of pectin, a type of soluble fiber, which also lower cholesterol.

It is recommended that an adult needs to have intake of 20 to 35 grams of fiber per day of which minimal 5 to 10 grams should be soluble fiber. 

If fiber-rich foods are not available, make sure to use fiber supplements even through supplements are least recommended. Two teaspoons of psyllium per day provide four grams of soluble fiber, according to Harvard Medical School.

Nuts including almonds, peanuts and walnuts are also known to prevent heart disease. Two ounces of nuts per day may lower cholesterol moderately. Some nutrients in nuts may also render a protective effect against heart disease.

Avoiding use of animal-based fat or oil like butter, lard and others may minimize the presence of cholesterol in a person's diet in the first place. 

Better cooking oils include olive oil and canola oil. High intake of soybean oil and corn oil should be avoided because they provide too much of omega-6 fatty acids, which may promote cancer growth.

Plant sterols or foods fortified with these ingredients can help lower cholesterol by absorbing cholesterol from food. These ingredients are available as dietary supplements. Two grams of phytosterols or stanols per day may lower cholesterol by as much as 10 percent.

Soy food is another type of food that fights cholesterol. It is believed that 25 grams of soy protein each day is needed to lower bad cholesterol by 5 percent or so.

In addition to cholesterol-lowering foods, one should also minimize their intake of cholesterol-boosting foods, saturated fat, and trans fat. Both saturated fat and trans fat increase serum levels of bad cholesterol, but trans fat can also lower the good cholesterol.

Also keep in mind that cholesterol is the only risk factor for heart disease. Calcium from certain sources can be risky. Calcium as a mineral or micronutrient is important, but should come from only foods, preferably from plant-derived foods like green leafy vegetables. Calcium supplements are linked with higher risk of heart disease.