Doctors often advise focusing on a heart-healthy diet, minimizing saturated/trans fats, and reducing intake of refined sugars as strategies for healthy eating for high cholesterol. They typically recommend limiting ultra-processed foods (UPFs) too, while building more meals around soluble fibers and plant-based foods.
Following such doctor-recommended diet plans for high cholesterol is crucial if you have this condition, also known as "hyperlipidemia," as it can become serious, even life-threatening, if not managed.
As an article from Endocrinology Advisor points out, a study found that between 1999 and 2023, nearly 640,000 patients with hyperlipidemia passed away due to a primary cause related to a cardiovascular (CV) outcome.
Don't let high cholesterol levels affect your longevity and quality of life. Keep in mind the following insights and doctor-advised dietary strategies to reduce cholesterol naturally.
How Does Your Body Feel When Your Cholesterol Is Too High?
According to the American Medical Association (AMA), nearly 94 million people in the U.S. aged 20+ have what experts consider "borderline" high cholesterol. The thing is, many aren't aware of their condition, as it's usually a "silent" problem. People who have it often don't exhibit any symptoms until complications occur.
In individuals who experience symptoms of high cholesterol, the most common ones include:
- Chest pain (angina)
- Xanthomas (fatty deposits under the skin that are usually yellowish)
- Shortness of breath
- Leg pain or cramps
- Dizziness
- Numbness
- Unexplained fatigue
If you experience any of these symptoms, and you also have one or more risk factors for high cholesterol, please don't ignore what you feel. Common risk factors include:
- Advancing age
- Family history
- Physical inactivity
- Having obesity or being overweight
- Smoking
- Excessive alcohol consumption
Pay your doctor or health and nutrition professional a visit. They'll likely recommend that you undergo a simple blood test for a definitive diagnosis of your condition.
Can a Person With High Cholesterol Reverse It Without Statins?
Statins are prescription medications used to lower high cholesterol and fat levels in the blood. They primarily work by reducing the liver's cholesterol production, helping keep plaque from forming within and blocking the arteries.
Harvard Health says that bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein or LDL) levels over 190 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) often warrant statin prescription. However, it also notes that doctors may be open to having patients lower their LDL levels with lifestyle changes alone, depending on how high they are.
Diet and exercise are two of the most effective interventions.
What Are the Dos and Don'ts of Healthy Eating for High Cholesterol Levels?
If you have hyperlipidemia, your doctor will likely recommend a heart-healthy diet of cholesterol-lowering foods. You can also expect them to advise you about foods to avoid with high cholesterol and to pair these dietary modifications with regular exercise.
Do: Focus On a Heart-Healthy Diet
Adopting a heart-healthy diet can help lower your LDL levels and minimize the risk of developing new or worsening existing cardiovascular diseases (CVD). It consists of:
- Vegetables and fruits
- Whole grains (e.g., brown rice, buckwheat, barley, and oats)
- Healthy fats like olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil, and cholesterol-lowering margarine
- Nuts and seeds
- Lean proteins (e.g., skinless chicken breast, turkey breast, soybeans, flaxseed, and legumes like lentils, beans, and peas)
- Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly fish like salmon, herring, and mackerel
Don't: Eat Too Many Foods High in Saturated/Trans Fat and Refined Sugars
Saturated/trans fats are "unhealthy" fats because they elevate LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, a type of fat present in the blood. They also lower your "good" cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein or HDL) levels.
Excessive refined sugar intake can result in the same consequences.
Do: Incorporate More Fibrous Plant-Based Foods Into Your Diet
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), eating a high-fiber, plant-based diet can reduce blood cholesterol levels. It can do so because fiber, a healthy type of carbohydrate, helps "push" extra cholesterol (the bad kind) out of the body.
What's even better is that fiber is in many plant-based foods, which means you can diversify your meals with different ingredients, avoid food boredom, and still ensure you get enough of this healthy carb. Some examples of fiber-rich options are:
- Legumes
- Whole grains
- Nuts and seeds
- Fruits
- Vegetables
Don't: Consume Too Many UPFs
Another don't of healthy eating for high cholesterol is consuming too many ultra-processed foods, such as:
- Packaged snacks and junk foods (e.g., chips, pretzels, cookies, crackers, and candy bars)
- Frozen, microwavable, and ready-to-eat meals
- Processed meats (e.g., bacon, sausages, and deli meats)
- Industrial or mass-produced baked products, such as white loaves, buns, donuts, and cupcakes
Do your best to cut down on their intake or avoid them altogether, as they usually contain high levels of unhealthy saturated/trans fats, sodium (salt), and sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is High Cholesterol Preventable?
Yes.
You can significantly reduce your risks of developing hyperlipidemia or reversing existing high cholesterol levels with a proper diet and regular physical activity. If needed and instructed by your doctor, taking statins and other prescription medications can also help lower LDL levels.
It's even more crucial to take proactive steps if you have non-modifiable risk factors for high cholesterol, such as advancing age or family history. The more modifiable risk factors you eliminate from the equation (e.g., quitting smoking and managing weight), the less likely your cholesterol levels will skyrocket.
How Dangerous Can Unmanaged High Cholesterol Be?
High cholesterol levels can heighten your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
High cholesterol, fats, and other harmful substances can form what health experts refer to as "plaque" within your arteries. Plaque build-up, particularly if it causes severe blockages in the blood vessels, can lead to more dangerous conditions like heart attacks and strokes.
Heart attacks and strokes can cause permanent disability and be life-threatening, which should be reason enough for you to keep your cholesterol levels down.
Eat Healthily to Better Manage Cholesterol Levels
Focusing on a heart-healthy diet and eating more fiber-rich, plant-based foods are some of the most crucial dos of healthy eating for high cholesterol. At the same time, you shouldn't consume too many UPFs, meals, or snacks high in saturated/trans fat and refined sugars.
By following those healthy eating dos and don'ts, you can better manage your LDL and HDL levels.
Have a look at our other recent health and lifestyle posts for more informative guides like this.
This article was prepared by an independent contributor and helps us continue to deliver quality news and information.
