| Close to 107 million U.S. adults have cholesterol | | | | temperatures do not provide the benefit," |
| levels of 200 mg/dL or higher, a level that the | | | | Anderson said. |
| American Heart Association says increases the | | | | 4. Blueberries |
| risk of heart disease and stroke. At least 12 million | | | | Researchers with the U.S. Department of |
| of these people are taking statin drugs to lower | | | | Agriculture have identified an antioxidant in |
| their cholesterol levels, but there are more natural | | | | blueberries called pterostilbene (it's similar to |
| options out there. | | | | resveratrol, the antioxidant found in grapes and |
| According to the American Heart Association, | | | | red wine). This compound has effectively lowered |
| "You can reduce cholesterol in your blood by | | | | cholesterol levels in animal studies. |
| eating healthful foods, losing weight if you need to | | | | 5. Salmon |
| and exercising." What follows is a listing of the | | | | This fish is a particularly good source of omega-3 |
| most potent foods to add to your diet if you | | | | fatty acids, which are known to lower LDL |
| want to fight high cholesterol and drive your levels | | | | cholesterol while raising the good (HDL) kind. |
| down using your diet as a primary tool. | | | | 6. Garlic |
| 1. Shitake Mushrooms | | | | Numerous studies have demonstrated that eating |
| The active component in shitake | | | | garlic regularly reduces LDL cholesterol and raises |
| mushrooms--eritadenine--has been found to lower | | | | HDL levels. |
| cholesterol levels in animal studies. The more | | | | 7. Avocado |
| eritadenine the animals received, the more their | | | | Avocados are rich in oleic acid, a |
| cholesterol levels dropped. | | | | monounsaturated fat known to help lower |
| 2. Walnuts | | | | cholesterol. In fact, one study found that people |
| A study in the April 2004 issue of Circulation | | | | with moderately high cholesterol levels who ate a |
| found that when walnuts were substituted for | | | | diet high in avocados for one week had significant |
| about one-third of the calories supplied by olives | | | | drops in total and LDL cholesterol levels, and an 11 |
| and other monounsaturated fats in the | | | | percent increase in the good HDL cholesterol. |
| Mediterranean diet, total cholesterol and LDL (bad) | | | | 8. Black Beans |
| cholesterol were reduced. Walnuts contain the | | | | Black beans and other legumes are high in dietary |
| beneficial omega-3 fatty acids, which are known | | | | fiber, which is an excellent cholesterol fighter. |
| to be excellent for the heart. | | | | 9. Apples |
| 3. Uncooked Soy | | | | Rich in both pectin and fiber, along with powerful |
| A new study found that eating two servings of | | | | antioxidants, including quercetin, catechin, phloridzin |
| soy protein a day can lower cholesterol by up to | | | | and chlorogenic acid, apples help lower bad |
| 9 percent--but it must be uncooked to have | | | | cholesterol while raising the good kind. |
| benefit. "Soy protein increases the activity of | | | | 10. Dark Green, Leafy Vegetables |
| low-density lipoprotein receptors primarily on the | | | | According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood |
| liver that clears it from the body. Eating soy | | | | Institute's Family Heart Study, participants who |
| protein increases the activity of these enzymes | | | | ate four or more servings of fruits and |
| that break down the cholesterol," said study | | | | vegetables a day had significantly lower levels of |
| author James Anderson, a scientist at the | | | | LDL cholesterol than those who ate fewer |
| University of Kentucky in Lexington. | | | | servings. Among the most powerful veggies are |
| Good soy sources would be edamame or soy | | | | the dark green, leafy variety, such as spinach, |
| nuts. "Soy-fortified muffins, cereals or nutritional | | | | kale, collard greens and Swiss chard. |
| bars in which the soy protein was baked at high | | | | |