Lowering your LDL

All fiber is not created equally 

By Mary Lou Perry, a registered dietitian for the UVA Heart and Vascular Center 

So, you’ve probably cut back on saturated fat to lower your cholesterol. But have you changed your diet in any other way? Research shows that fiber, especially soluble fiber, can improve your heart health by dropping bad cholesterol. 

What is soluble fiber and how is it beneficial?

Plant fiber comes in 2 main types: insoluble fiber and soluble fiber. Each comes with health benefits and different properties. Insoluble fiber helps keep you regular. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and includes pectins, gums, mucilages and some hemicelluloses. In your intestine, soluble fiber can bind with bile, which is made of cholesterol, and help carry it out of your body. Soluble fiber reduces the absorption of cholesterol in your intestine. Lowering cholesterol lowers your risk of heart disease and stroke—and new research shows it can even lower your chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

How much soluble fiber do I need to eat?

Eating 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber per day can decrease heart disease risk by reducing LDL (bad cholesterol) by 10 to 15 percent.

What foods contain soluble fiber? Can I find it on the nutrition label?

Nutrition labels only give total fiber (the amount of soluble and insoluble). So unless the food is making a claim about soluble fiber, you won’t find the information on the label.

Enjoy a heart-friendly diet with these foods packed with soluble fiber—and flavor: