An Apple a Day to Keep Heart Disease at Bay?

How Certain Foods Fight Cholesterol 

It may seem counterintuitive, but eating can actually help lower your cholesterol …  if (a big “if”) you’re eating the right foods. “The power is literally in our hands,” says UVA dietitian Teller Stalfort, MPH, RD. “Certain foods can help optimize blood cholesterol levels, lowering the bad (low-density lipoprotein or LDL), while others raise the good (high-density lipoprotein or HDL) cholesterol.  

One key, says Stalfort, is to look for foods with a high amount of soluble fiber. “Foods rich in soluble fiber bind to the LDL cholesterol present in the foods you eat and prevent that cholesterol from being absorbed. In fact, LDL can be lowered by 13 percent if you aim for 10 to 25 grams of soluble fiber per day.” 

For an easy, ample boost of soluble fiber every day, try these:

Fruit: Apples were shown to lower LDL in post-menopausal women by as much as 23 percent when eaten daily, according to a USDA-funded study conducted at Florida State University. The study also reported a 4 percent jump in HDL and weight loss among apple eaters. Other fruits high in fiber include pears, citrus and mangoes. (1 medium apple = 1 gram of soluble fiber) 

Whole Grains: Foods like oatmeal and bran are heavy on the soluble fiber and they go great with fruit, another high-fiber food. Incorporate them both into your breakfast and you’ll be on your way to achieving your daily fiber goal. (1/3 cup of dry oatmeal = 2 grams of soluble fiber) 

Legumes: They may be little, but beans pack a big punch when it comes to fiber content so try to sneak them in to your lunch as well as dinner. Toss kidney beans atop your salad or mix black beans into a burger. (1/2 cup kidney beans = 3 grams of soluble fiber) 

Fortified Foods

Other natural cholesterol-lowering substances, which have gotten a good bit of attention from healthcare and nutrition experts, are phytosterols (plant stanols and sterols), says Stalfort. “Eating 2 to 3 grams per day of phytosterols can help lower LDL up to 15 percent by competing for absorption with the dietary cholesterol you consume.” 

Phytosterols are present in foods like fruits and vegetables, but in very small quantities. So manufacturers have begun using stanols and sterols to fortify other foods, including the following brands:

•          Benecol® and Promise Activ® Margarine
•           Minute Maid Heart Wise® Orange Juice
•           Kroger Active Lifestyle™ bread and skim milk 

Products like these come and go, so for a complete list of foods fortified with phytosterols, ask your dietitian.

Should you discover that your “bad” cholesterol needs taming, try incorporating these natural cholesterol-lowering foods into your diet first. If successful, medication may not be necessary to get your lipid levels in check. 

Smart Tip: Aim for at least 10 grams of soluble fiber daily by eating more vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes.  Write down a week’s worth of meals following this recommendation and stick to it