The Best Cholesterol-Lowering Foods

High cholesterol is something you don't want to mess around with: Having the waxy build-up in your blood increases your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. But add these foods into your diet if you wan to try to lower your cholesterol through what you eat.

The monounsaturated fatty acids found in avocados have been found to improve LDL cholesterol levels. It's good practice to try and swap out foods high in saturated fat for foods that contain monounsaturated fatty acids whenever possible.

Keep this one in moderation. Studies have shown that small amounts (around a half-ounce) of dark chocolate can lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol. It's all about those flavanoids, which are the antioxidants that help cells resist damage.

Just like avocados, monounsaturated fatty acids are the major players at work here. Swapping out your butter for olive oil can really help push your health in a better direction.

Although food made from soybeans (like tofu) aren't as powerful in lowering cholesterol as initially believed, you can still lower your cholesterol by consuming soy protein every day.

Embrace the power of purple! This vegetable is full of soluble fiber, according to Harvard Medical School, which consumes the bile acid in your body and prompts the body to target the cholesterol in your liver to make more.

Whether you're a seed gal or prefer your pomegranates in juice-form, you're sure to reap the fruit's cholesterol-lowering powers: "Any form of pomegranate — whether the arils or the juice — could help control cholesterol by slowing its buildup," says Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, New Jersey-based dietitian and owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition.

Chickpeas aren't just a solid source of protein — they're also a great option to eat if you need to lower your cholesterol. "One study found that eating pulses, like lentils and dried peas, daily significantly lowered bad 'LDL' cholesterol levels by about 5 percent," says Gorin. "One of my favorite way to eat pulses is roasting chickpeas."

Grabbing a plum to snack on during the day is a sweet way to keep your cholesterol levels in check: The fruit contains anthocyanins — a.k.a. antioxidants — that help out your heart by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. According to one study, eating three or more servings of anthocyanin-rich fruit each week can lower your heart attack risk by 34 percent.

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If you skip breakfast, you might want to give the most important meal of the day another shot. Women who eat a bowl of fiber-rich cereal every morning have lower levels of cholesterol than those who don't eat breakfast at all. It's all thanks to the fiber: "Fiber binds with cholesterol and speeds its excretion before it reaches your arteries," says Tanya Zuckerbrot, RD.

Speaking of fiber, the same goes for oats: Eating a hefty bowl of oatmeal in the morning can help lower your cholesterol and keep you full and satisfied until lunch.

When it comes to lowering your cholesterol, this ancient grain will become your new BFF. "In one study by Italian researchers, people regularly eating foods made with kamut saw their cholesterol levels decrease," Gorin says. "Serve kamut just as you would brown rice or quinoa, like with roasted salmon and steamed veggies."

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Like chickpeas, white beans are also cholesterol-fighting superstars: The pulse is a master at lowering your levels, and you can enjoy it multiple different ways: "I love using white beans as a pizza topping," Gorin says.

Eating coconut won't just make you feel like you got transported to a tropical paradise: It also has some major health benefits. One study showed eating the fruit is great at lowering cholesterol levels — even if you just top your salad with some crunchy flakes.

All cherries are delicious, but there's something extra special about this sour variety. "I love snacking on dried Montmorency tart cherries not only because they have a sour-sweet flavor, but because they also have fiber," Gorin says. "Plus, you get other heart-helping benefits, too. Anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant found in purple and dark red fruits and vegetables, may help decrease the risk of heart attack in women."

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Garlic is so easy to cook with that you have no excuse not to do so immediately. "I love adding garlic to stir-fries, grilled veggies like asparagus, and even using it to flavor olive oil," Gorin says. "Research shows the power herb could help reduce total cholesterol levels, so why not give it a try?"

Another food with cholesterol-fighting fiber are wild blueberries. "Just one cup of frozen wild blueberries offers around 6 grams of fiber, which is about a quarter of your daily need," Gorin says. "They offer twice the antioxidants of regular blueberries — and eating a diet rich in antioxidants is linked with a lower risk of heart disease."

Chia seeds got their superfood-status for many reasons, but one is that they're full of fiber. "The soluble fiber acts like a sponge, soaking up cholesterol, while the insoluble fiber works like a broom, sweeping the intestines clean," says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD.

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Onions might make you shed a tear or two, but the cry sesh is worth it: The veggie contains anthoxanthins that help lower blood pressure... and speed up your metabolism.

There's never been a better time to go nuts for nuts. "Many studies show us that regularly eating nuts can help lower our cholesterol — both total cholesterol and 'bad' LDL cholesterol," Gorin says. "Some research indicates that taking in 60 grams — about 2.1 ounces — of nuts daily yields the biggest benefits."

Adding some broccoli to your plate will do your body good. Since the veggie is packed with fiber, steaming a few cups for dinner or eating a handful as a snack will keep your cholesterol levels in check.

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