How can oatmeal lower your cholesterol

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These healthy oils could help improve your cholesterol numbers even more. Orange juice is well-known for being an excellent source of vitamin C. Some brands add a nutritional boost by fortifying their juice with plant sterols and stanols.

Adding 2 grams of sterols to your daily diet could lower your LDL cholesterol by 5 to 15 percent. Granola bars and chocolate all come in sterol and stanol-enhanced versions. Some studies have suggested that whey protein supplements may help lower cholesterol, although results have been inconsistent. One meta-analysis of 13 studies found that the supplements lowered triglycerides, another type of fat in the blood.

Make a healthy morning smoothie by combining low-fat yogurt, ice cubes, berries, and a scoop of vanilla whey protein. This sweet concoction is low in fat and high in nutrition. Salmon is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. These good fats increase healthy HDL cholesterol and reduce the number of triglycerides circulating in the blood. This fast and delicious breakfast combines two sources of fiber: apples and bran.

Cholesterol has many important functions. Protein can help reduce hunger and prevent overeating. This is a detailed article about how eating protein for breakfast can help you lose weight. Your diet includes dozens of fats, each with a different function and effect. Soluble fiber appears to reduce your body's absorption of cholesterol from the intestines. Oatmeal contains soluble fiber that reduces your low-density lipoprotein LDL , the "bad" cholesterol that can increase your risk of heart attacks and strokes.

This type of fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, brussels sprouts, apples, pears, barley and prunes. The American Dietetic Association recommends a healthy diet include 25 to 35 grams of fiber a day, including both soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber should make up 5 to 10 grams of your fiber intake. However, Americans only consume about half that amount.

Soy protein, found in such products as tofu, soy nuts, soy milk and soy burgers, can help lower blood levels of LDL cholesterol, particularly when it's substituted for animal protein. Ingesting 25 to 50 grams of soy protein a day lowers LDL cholesterol by 4 percent to 8 percent.

You can use them instead of meat or to help make meat based meals healthier and higher in fibre. Add legumes to soups, casseroles and curries. A can of 4 bean mix can be thrown into salads and stir-fries for a quick and easy cholesterol lowering boost. An important part of a healthy Mediterranean diet, the mono unsaturated fats in extra virgin olive oil may help to lower LDL cholesterol when used to replace saturated fats found in meat and butter.

Top tip: Make your own salad dressings using extra virgin olive plus lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. Drizzle olive oil over steamed or baked vegetables. Replace butter and other oils in recipes with extra virgin olive oil. For a quick heart-healthy breakfast why not try multigrain toast spread with avocado and served with baked beans?

Apples and pears are rich in pectin, a soluble fibre which is also found in strawberries, oats and beans. Pectin helps to reduce cholesterol absorption and may help to lower LDL cholesterol. One apple contains approximately one gram of soluble fibre and a large pear contains roughly three grams. Top tip: Choose an apple or pear as a naturally sweet treat to satisfy afternoon cravings. Chop up an apple and serve it with nuts and yoghurt as a heart-friendly snack or healthy breakfast.

Add them sliced to your favourite salad recipe.