The Best Foods to Lower Cholesterol Naturally

December 31, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the CDC, nearly 94 million U.S. adults aged 20 or older have high total cholesterol. By making strategic dietary changes, including focusing on the best foods to lower cholesterol, you can significantly impact your heart health and reduce your risk of serious cardiovascular issues.

Quick Summary

A heart-healthy diet focuses on plant-based foods, soluble fiber, healthy fats, and omega-3s to reduce LDL and boost HDL levels. Simple dietary swaps can dramatically improve cholesterol management without sacrificing flavor.

Key Points

Soluble Fiber Intake: Consume oats, barley, beans, and certain fruits to help bind and excrete cholesterol from your system.
Healthy Fats: Replace saturated and trans fats with unsaturated fats from olive oil, avocados, nuts, and seeds to lower LDL cholesterol.
Omega-3s: Eat fatty fish like salmon and mackerel at least twice a week to reduce triglycerides and support heart health.
Plant Sterols: Look for fortified foods that contain plant sterols and stanols, which can block cholesterol absorption in the gut.
Smart Swaps: Make simple dietary substitutions, like using olive oil instead of butter, to create long-term heart-healthy habits.
Minimize Bad Fats: Reduce intake of red meat, full-fat dairy, and processed fried or baked goods that are high in saturated and trans fats.

The Power of Soluble Fiber

Soluble fiber is a key component for lowering cholesterol because it binds to cholesterol and its precursors in the digestive system, preventing their absorption and carrying them out of the body. Aim for 10 to 25 grams of soluble fiber per day.

Great Sources of Soluble Fiber

Oats and oat bran: A morning bowl of oatmeal is an easy way to get 1–2 grams of soluble fiber. To increase the benefit, add high-fiber fruits like strawberries or bananas.
Beans and legumes: These are exceptionally rich in soluble fiber and take time to digest, keeping you feeling full longer. Options include black beans, lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, and navy beans.
Fruits: Apples, grapes, strawberries, and citrus fruits contain pectin, a soluble fiber that can significantly lower LDL cholesterol. Eating the whole fruit rather than just the juice is best.
Vegetables: Eggplant and okra are low-calorie and provide a good source of soluble fiber.

Harnessing Healthy Fats

Replacing saturated and trans fats with unsaturated fats is a highly effective strategy for managing cholesterol.

Unsaturated Fats for Better Cholesterol

Olive oil: Extra-virgin olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats and antioxidants. Studies show it can lower LDL cholesterol while providing a slight boost to HDL (good) cholesterol.
Avocados: This fruit contains oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that helps lower LDL and can raise HDL. It also contains fiber and plant sterols.
Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, and peanuts are full of polyunsaturated fats, fiber, and plant sterols, which can lower LDL levels. A handful is a great snack, but be mindful of portion sizes due to high calorie counts.
Fatty fish: Salmon, mackerel, and sardines are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s help reduce triglycerides and can benefit heart health.

Plant Sterols and Stanols: A Fortified Solution

Plant sterols and stanols are naturally occurring plant compounds that block the body's absorption of cholesterol from the digestive tract. For a more significant effect, many foods are now fortified with these compounds.

Sources of sterols and stanols: You can find these added to margarine spreads, orange juice, yogurt, and certain cereals. Two grams per day can lower LDL cholesterol by about 10%.

A Comparison of Cholesterol-Lowering Foods


Food Category	Primary Mechanism	Key Nutrients	Examples
Whole Grains	Soluble fiber binds cholesterol	Fiber, antioxidants	Oats, barley, brown rice
Legumes	Soluble fiber slows digestion	Fiber, protein	Beans, lentils, chickpeas
Healthy Oils	Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats lower LDL	Omega-3s, antioxidants	Olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil
Nuts & Seeds	Fiber and plant sterols block absorption	Fiber, healthy fats	Walnuts, almonds, flaxseeds
Fatty Fish	Omega-3 fatty acids lower triglycerides	Omega-3s, lean protein	Salmon, mackerel, sardines

What to Avoid for Heart Health

While focusing on what to eat is important, minimizing certain foods is also critical. Saturated fats found in red meat, high-fat dairy, and processed foods raise harmful LDL cholesterol. Trans fats, found in some processed baked goods and fried foods, should also be avoided as they lower HDL and increase LDL.

Simple Swaps for a Heart-Healthy Diet

Making small, conscious substitutions can have a big impact over time. Instead of butter, use olive oil for cooking. Replace fatty red meat with fatty fish or plant-based proteins like soy. For snacks, swap out chips and baked goods for a handful of nuts or a piece of fruit. These simple changes can put you on a path to better heart health.

Incorporating These Foods into Your Meals

Breakfast: Start your day with a bowl of oatmeal topped with berries and walnuts instead of a sugary cereal. Use oat milk in your coffee.
Lunch: A salad topped with grilled salmon or chickpeas, avocado slices, and an olive oil-based dressing is a heart-healthy choice. Use whole-grain bread for sandwiches.
Dinner: A stir-fry with tofu or edamame and plenty of vegetables, or a lentil soup with a side of brown rice, makes for a satisfying and cholesterol-friendly meal.
Snacks: Snack on unsalted almonds, an apple with a little nut butter, or a small square of dark chocolate.

Conclusion: A Holistic Approach

Incorporating the best foods to lower cholesterol is a powerful and natural way to manage your heart health. By prioritizing soluble fiber from foods like oats and beans, healthy unsaturated fats from olive oil and avocados, and omega-3s from fatty fish, you can actively reduce your LDL cholesterol and support overall well-being. Remember, these dietary changes are most effective when combined with a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise. For further reading on heart-healthy strategies, consult trusted medical sources like the Cleveland Clinic(https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/16867-cholesterol--nutrition-tlc).

Frequently Asked Questions

While no single food is a miracle cure, oats are consistently cited as one of the most effective due to their high concentration of beta-glucan, a potent soluble fiber that significantly reduces LDL cholesterol.

Yes, a diet with a higher proportion of plant-based foods, such as the Mediterranean diet, naturally reduces saturated fat intake and increases fiber and healthy fats, which can substantially lower cholesterol levels.

Nuts contain healthy polyunsaturated fats, fiber, and plant sterols that collectively work to lower LDL cholesterol. Studies show eating about 1.5 ounces of nuts daily can be beneficial.

Dark chocolate (with at least 70% cocoa) contains flavonoids, which are antioxidants that may help lower LDL cholesterol and reduce inflammation. However, it should be consumed in moderation due to its fat and calorie content.

Most nutritional guidelines recommend a daily intake of 10 to 25 grams of soluble fiber to help lower cholesterol. You can achieve this by eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, oats, and legumes.

No, for most healthy people, one egg a day is considered fine. Eggs are low in saturated fat, and dietary cholesterol has a smaller impact on blood cholesterol for most people than saturated fat intake. However, individuals with high cholesterol should still be mindful of their intake.

LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is often called 'bad' cholesterol because it contributes to plaque buildup in arteries. HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is 'good' cholesterol because it helps transport excess cholesterol from the body to the liver for removal, protecting against heart disease.