The waxy type of lipid or fat found in your blood is known as cholesterol. A limited amount of cholesterol is vital for your body to build healthy cells. But if the cholesterol deposits increase in your body to more than the required amount, it can cause harm. High cholesterol and foods are correlated. Even some healthy foods that you should often include in your diet also lead to increased cholesterol deposits.

Since high cholesterol and foods are interrelated, it’s essential to plan your diet consciously with healthful foods. A decrease or increase in cholesterol levels depends on the types of food you consume to a considerable extent. Different foods lower cholesterol in various ways. For example, increasing the intake of soluble fiber will bind your cholesterol and its precursors in the digestive system. Further, it will drag them out of the body before they get into circulation.

1. Oats
Starting consumption of oats is one of the easiest first steps toward lowering your cholesterol level. Your bowl of breakfast oatmeal delivers you one to two grams of soluble fiber. You can increase it by another half gram by adding some strawberries or a banana.

2. Barley and other whole grain
Like oats, barley and most other whole grains significantly help lower the risk of heart diseases. This is due to the rich quantity of soluble fiber they offer.

3. Beans
Beans are a storehouse of soluble fiber. Since your body needs more time to digest beans, you feel full for longer after a meal. Hence, beans help in a significant way if you’re trying or planning to lose weight. Moreover, beans are not boring, as they offer so many of choices, including navy and kidney beans to lentils, garbanzos, black-eyed peas, and beyond. You can cook or prepare them in different ways. Hence, beans are regarded as a super versatile food.

4. Eggplant and okra
Both are low in calories and rich in insoluble fiber. Regarded as a superfood, they help maintain your good cholesterol level and lower bad cholesterol.

5. Nuts
All kinds of nuts, including almonds, walnuts, and peanuts, are good for your heart health. Besides lowering cholesterol levels, nuts have additional nutrients that protect the heart in various ways.

6. Vegetable oils
Regular consumption of vegetable oil helps in lowering your levels of bad cholesterol. Any nut oil, be it canola, sunflower, or safflower, is good.

7. Fruits such as apples, grapes, strawberries, and citrus
These fruits contain a higher quantity of soluble fiber called pectin. Regular intake of pectin helps in lowering your bad cholesterol.

When thinking about high cholesterol and foods, don’t just focus on one or two foods. To achieve desired benefits, try adding several healthy foods to your daily diet to lower cholesterol in different ways.