Doctors frequently tell their patients with elevated cholesterol levels to change their diet. The problem is that people rarely get specific details about what to eat. They are told what not to eat. That usually boils down to avoiding saturated fat. Is there a better cholesterol-lowering diet plan?
The Saturated Fat Story:
Saturated fat has been the enemy for decades because nutrition experts believed it would raise cholesterol levels and lead to clogged arteries and heart attacks. People were told to cut back on red meat, eggs, butter and cream.
As a result of such prohibitions, low-fat and no-fat foods have proliferated. For example, if you look in the dairy section of your grocery you will be overwhelmed by an enormous variety of low-fat yogurt. Despite such products, Americans are fatter than ever, facing an epidemic of diabetes and heart disease. By the way, those no-fat yogurts often contain a load of sugar, often in the form of “fruit” that is really glorified jam, ie, sugar.
This year the sat-fat fever broke, ever since a large meta-analysis of 72 studies involving 600,000 volunteers concluded that there is no convincing evidence that a diet containing saturated fat leads to heart disease (Annals of Internal Medicine, March 18, 2014). In the authors’ own words:
“Current evidence does not clearly support cardiovascular guidelines that encourage high consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids and low consumption of total saturated fats.”
Of course, such words are heresy. When evidence conflicts with beliefs, most people become confused and angry. Our friend C.C. recently wrote this on his Facebook page:
“Well so much for that. The doctor reviewed my blood work this morning. After over two months of no meat, my bad cholesterol went up from 97 to 118.”
And that is the crux of the problem. Just cutting back on saturated fat does not guarantee great lipid levels. We have heard C.C.’s story repeatedly from many other people. In fact, a low-fat diet is more likely to lower good HDL cholesterol than a high-fat diet. That’s why we are not going to tell you what to avoid. The point of this article is to tell you what to eat.
Lowering Cholesterol with High Fiber Foods, Magnesium and Vinegar:
If you watched the video at the top of this post, you learned that soluble fiber and vinegar can work wonders when it comes to controlling lipids. The French citizens have long followed their main meal with salad. The dressing is often vinaigrette, named because of its key component, “vinaigre” or vinegar. And vinegar has benefits.
Vinegar:
One study found that vinegar lowers the blood sugar spike seen after consuming wheat bread (European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Sept. 2005). Animal research has demonstrated that apple cider vinegar has beneficial effects on triglyceride levels, total cholesterol and other lipids (Journal of Membrane Biology, Aug. 2014).
You can also improve an important risk factor for heart disease by cutting back on carbs. Doing so will almost assuredly bring down triglycerides.
Magnesium:
Magnesium is a mineral that rarely gets the respect it deserves. The Honolulu Heart Program involved more than 8,000 men between 1965 and 1968. It examined lifestyle issues as well as diet and heart disease. A follow-up evaluation of 7,172 men after 15 years was published in 2003. It revealed that those with low magnesium levels in their blood were at a substantially increased risk of heart disease and heart attacks (American Journal of Cardiology, Sept. 15, 2003). The investigators concluded that:
“the intake of dietary magnesium is associated with a reduced risk of CHD [coronary heart disease].”
Foods high in magnesium include almonds, cashews, halibut, oatmeal, peanuts, potatoes (baked), soybeans and spinach.
You may wish to listen to Show 969: Magnesium the Neglected Mineral to learn more about this useful nutrient.
Foods to Lower Cholesterol:
Here is a partial list of foods that can help improve lipid levels and reduce inflammation:
- Almonds
- Barley
- Blueberries
- Bluefish
- Broccoli
- Chocolate (low sugar-high cocoa flavonoids)
- Eggplant
- Garlic
- Oats
- Okra
- Olive oil
- Pomegranates
- Psyllium
- Sardines
- Soy
- Walnuts
- Wild salmon
More heart healthy foods and delicious dishes can be found in Recipes and Remedies from The People’s Pharmacy. High-fiber foods including whole grains and the stems of leafy vegetables can be helpful. Even certain spices such as cinnamon (Clinical Nutrition, March 11, 2018), ginger and turmeric (Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, March 2018) can be a useful part of a cholesterol-lowering diet plan. Plant stanols such as those found in Benecol margarine lower cholesterol when used regularly (Cholesterol, Feb. 4, 2018). When you choose your beverage, consider green tea (Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, Aug. 2014). Compared to soft drinks, which raise blood lipids (British Journal of Nutrition, March 2018), green tea helps to control cholesterol.
Laura’s Approach to Lowering Cholesterol without Drugs
Our poster child for healthy eating is Laura E. She lowered her bad LDL cholesterol to 70 (as good as most people get taking a statin-type drug). She accomplished this by making the following changes:
- Avoided spikes in blood sugar
- Eliminated refined carbohydrates
- Ate a high-protein breakfast
- Substituted olive oil for other fats
- Added soluble fiber to meals other than breakfast
- Focused on fish
- Drank green tea
- Consumed other antioxidants
- Stopped eating before bed
“The experiment worked. My LDL cholesterol not only went down 44 points in 5 weeks, it also continued on its downward course.”
Share your own success story in the comment section below.
Revised 4/19/18
