Frequently, too much LDL is the result of a diet rich in saturated fats (usually from animal foods such as beef, butter, lard, and whole-milk dairy products) and trans fats (found in processed and fast foods). Eliminating these foods from your diet is a good first step in improving your LDL. Then try adding some or all of the following LDL-lowering foods every day. If you're already on a statin, dietary changes may help you reduce your dosage, but never reduce or stop taking a statin drug (or any other heart drug) without first consulting your doctor

1. 8 Foods to Help Lower Your
Cholesterol
 By Dr. Arthur Agatston

Cut the Animal Fat in Your Diet and Add LDL-
Lowering Foods
My patients often ask me if there are any foods that
can help with reducing high levels of low-density

2. lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. This is the so-called
"bad" cholesterol that can cause artery-clogging
plaque to form in your coronary artery walls,
increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke. My
answer is a qualified "Yes," since high LDL can be
the result of many factors, including poor genes,
obesity, and lack of exercise. For this reason, not
everyone will react to dietary changes the same
way, and optimal LDL levels are different for every
individual.
Frequently, too much LDL is the result of a diet rich
in saturated fats (usually from animal foods such as
beef, butter, lard, and whole-milk dairy products)
and trans fats (found in processed and fast foods).
Eliminating these foods from your diet is a good first
step in improving your LDL. Then try adding some or
all of the following LDL-lowering foods every day. If
you're already on a statin, dietary changes may help
you reduce your dosage, but never reduce or stop
taking a statin drug (or any other heart drug)
without first consulting your doctor.

3. 
Beans: Healthy Pintos and Garbanzos Stand Out
All types of beans and other legumes — pinto, red,
white, navy, black, garbanzos, limas, and lentils, for
example — are excellent sources of soluble fiber.
Fiber binds to cholesterol-laden bile salts in the small
intestine and promotes their excretion along with
waste. When this happens, the liver must use more
cholesterol to produce more bile salts, therefore
lowering the amount of cholesterol in the body
available to make LDL. Studies indicate that
consumption of as little as 1/2 cup of cooked beans

4. per day can lower LDL cholesterol by an average of 8
percent. Pintos and garbanzo beans seem to have
the best effect.

Apples: Fiber and Antioxidant Rich
As with beans, apples are an excellent source of
LDL-lowering soluble fiber, primarily pectin.
Research also shows that eating an apple a day (or
better yet, two) can slow the oxidation of LDL
cholesterol thanks to antioxidant polyphenols found
primarily in the skin (so don't peel them).

5. Antioxidants are important because when LDL
cholesterol interacts with free radicals to become
oxidized, it is more likely to promote inflammation
and plaque build-up in the arteries.

Nuts and Seeds: Protein Plus Good Fat
Walnuts, almonds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, chia
seeds, and flaxseeds are all excellent sources of
protein, heart-healthy monounsaturated and
polyunsaturated fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

6. When substituted for saturated fat in the diet, nuts
and seeds have been shown to help lower LDL
cholesterol (and total cholesterol) without affecting
levels of good high-density lipoprotein (HDL)
cholesterol. Since nuts and seeds are calorie-dense,
you'll need to limit your daily intake to about 1
ounce (1/4 cup) and also make sure the nuts aren't
salted or coated with sugar.
Oats and Oat Bran: Just a Little Every Day
Oats and oat bran contain beta-glucan, a water-
soluble fiber that has been found to help reduce
the amount of LDL cholesterol circulating in the
blood. Studies show that a daily intake of at least 3
grams of oat beta-glucan may reduce LDL
cholesterol levels by 7 percent on average. That's
the amount in 1/4 cup of uncooked oat bran (enjoy
it as a hot cereal or add it to smoothies and baked
goods) or 1½ cups of cooked steel-cut oatmeal. It
is also believed that polyphenolic antioxidant
compounds found in oat bran, called
avenanthramides, can help prevent inflammation
and plaque build-up by keeping blood cells from
sticking to artery walls.

7. 
Green Tea: Loose Leaves Give More Benefits
All varieties of antioxidant-rich tea (white, black,
green, oolong) can help lower LDL, but green tea,
which is particularly rich in the powerful antioxidant
epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has shown the best
results in lowering LDL levels — by about 2 percent.
Unlike other teas, which are made from fermented
leaves, green tea leaves are steamed, which
prevents the EGCG from being oxidized. While some
studies have been done with an intake of 7 or more
cups a day, drinking a few cups of green tea daily

8. should help and will keep you from getting too much
caffeine. Preparing your green tea with loose tea,
rather than tea bags, provides more EGCG.

Red Grapefruit: A 20 Percent Difference
Eating just one red grapefruit daily for a month can
help to lower LDL cholesterol by as much as 20
percent, one study showed, most likely due to the
liminoids and lycopene found in the pulp. Grapefruit
also contains the soluble fiber pectin, which
contributes to LDL lowering. But be aware that

9. grapefruit can enhance the effect of certain heart
medications, such as statins and calcium channel
blockers. If you're on one of these drugs, check with
your doctor before eating grapefruit or drinking the
juice.View All
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Red Wine or Grapes: A Toast to Resveratrol
A plant-based chemical known as resveratrol,
found in the red grapes used to make red wine,
has been shown to lower blood levels of LDL
cholesterol. It also appears to protect against
+coronary artery disease, thanks to its antioxidant
and anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, a
glass of red wine with a meal can help prevent the

10. constriction of blood vessels that can follow a fatty
meal and lead to atherosclerosis and heart attack.
If you don't drink, don't start now: You can get
resveratrol from red, black, and purple grapes
outright, and from blueberries, cranberries, and
even peanut butter. If you do drink, limit your
consumption of red wine to one or two 5-ounce
glasses a day.

11. Plant Sterols and Stanols: Watch Your Portions
Plant sterols and stanols, collectively known as
"phytosterols," are substances that are naturally
present in small quantities in vegetable oil (corn,
soybean), nuts, legumes, whole grains, fruits and
vegetables, and even dark chocolate. Studies show
that consuming 2 grams of sterols/stanols daily can
lower LDL cholesterol levels by an average of 6
percent and perhaps by as much as 14 percent in as
little as four weeks. This blocks cholesterol
absorption in the small intestine, which in turn helps
lower LDL. Because it is difficult to get this amount
directly from fresh foods, many products are being
fortified with sterols and stanols. These include
vegetable oil spreads (cho
ose the light varieties), orange juice, and fat-free
milk, among other products. Look at labels carefully,
since the calories in many of these products can add
up quickly and sidetrack the best of heart-healthy
intentions.
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