Many people can reduce cholesterol levels simply by changing what they eat, like eating less meat (and leaner cuts) and more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains which can lower total cholesterol by 25 percent or more.
Harvard Medical School offers four steps for using your diet to lower cholesterol.
1. Stick with unsaturated fats and avoid saturated and trans fats. Most vegetable fats (oils) are composed of unsaturated fats that are healthy for your heart such as oily fish, nuts, seeds, and some vegetables. Stay away from foods made with “partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.”
2. Get more soluble fiber, such as that found in oatmeal and fruits, which can lower blood cholesterol levels.
3. Include plant sterols and stanols in your diet which are found in an increasing number of food products such as spreads, juices, and yogurts.
4. Find a diet that works for you. There is no one-size-fits-all diet for cholesterol control so find one that works for you.