10 Foods That Naturally Lower Cholesterol

High cholesterol sends many of our people to the doctor for medication. As they say, “Let thy food be thy medicine.” Here’s a list of 10 foods to help you lower your cholesterol naturally (you’ll be very happy about number 10!)

1. Oats

Black people have lower total cholesterol levels, but have higher LDL levels (lower density lipoprotein) than other races.   LDL is the “bad” kind of cholesterol. Eating a diet rich in oats can lower your cholesterol by over 5% in just 6 weeks. Oats contain a substance called beta-glucan which absorbs LDL.

2. Red Wine

This is a win-win situation if you ask me. Drink a glass of red wine at happy hour and also lower your cholesterol levels. A study found that the Tempranillo red grapes used to make red win lowered LDL levels by 9%. The study also found that participants with high cholesterol going into the study experienced higher levels of decrease in their LDL levels (12%) after drinking red wine.

3. Salmon and Fatty Fish

Fish contains the almighty omega-3 fatty acids, the building blocks for successful muscle generation and now for raising your good cholesterol levels (high density lipoprotein or HDL) by as much as 4%.

4. Nuts

Go nuts for nuts if you’re trying to lower your total cholesterol and LDL levels. A study revealed that people who ate 1.5 ounces of walnuts for 6 days out of the week lowered their total cholesterol levels by 5.4%  and LDL by 9.3%. Nuts are a good tool for lowering your cholesterol, but are also high in calories so beware of going nutty.

5. Black Tea

Your morning trip to Starbucks won’t be the same. Drop that fatty caramel macchiato that you crave every morning and grab some black tea instead. Black tea reduced blood lipids by 10% in just 3 weeks according to study by the USDA. This tasty drink is a powerful agent in fighting LDL.

6. Beans

The fiber in beans slows the rate and amount of absorption of cholesterol in certain foods. Add a half a cup of beans to soup and watch those LDL levels lower by almost 10%. The wonderful thing about beans is that you can always find at least one that you might like (pinto, kidney, or black to name a few).

7. Olive Oil

This favorite marinade and topping on chicken, fish, vegetables and of course salads lowers LDL levels. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids that aid in the decrease of LDL in the body. Next time you’re about to grab vegetable oil off the shelf, switch it out for its healthy cousin, olive oil.

8. Spinach

You might’ve heard about the amazing lutein, the yellow pigment found in leafy green vegetables and eggs. This pigment is responsible for keeping your eyes healthy as you get older, and also for lowering your cholesterol. Lutein blocks all the cholesterol haters trying to attack your precious arteries.

9. Avocado

Happy hours are looking up. First you have red wine coming in blocking all of that bad cholesterol and now you can have your chips and dip it, too. Avocado contains a plant-based fat called beta-sitosterol that reduces the amount of cholesterol absorbed in your food. Don’t go too hard because avocados are high in calories.

10. Chocolate

Ladies, don’t go crazy, but chocolate is on the list. This delectable item contains an antioxidant that helps to build the good kind of cholesterol in your body. Dark, bittersweet chocolate has 3 times the antioxidants as milk chocolate. The antioxidants inside of dark chocolate keep your arteries from clogging and also your blood platelets from sticking together. Godiva, anyone ?