Certain foods have been linked to a decrease in heart disease by lowering your LDL (“badâ€) cholesterol.
Black beans, pinto, red, white, lentils—these are all excellent sources of solublefiber. Think of soluble fiber as a sponge that binds to blood cholesterol and helps eliminate it from your body.
Just ½ cup of beans can provide 5 to 10 grams of fiber. Add a lentil soup to your next order at a Mediterranean restaurant. Or throw some black beans into your salsa. Or toss a half-cup of cooked red beans with olive oil, salt, and pepper for a super-simple side dish.
Or try this bean-based veggie burger recipe that actually tastes (gasp!) pretty good.
All whole oat grains contain a particular type of fiber, called beta-glucan. Multiple scientific studies show that consuming beta-glucan can help lower LDL cholesterol, sometimes by as much as seven percent.
(For more ways to live your healthiest, happiest life, read The Better Man Project—2,000+ tips for becoming the best man you can be from the experts atMen’s Health.)
Mix ¼ cup rolled oats, ½ cup plain kefir, 1 cup of your favorite Greek yogurt, and a handful of berries. Refrigerate overnight and enjoy the next morning.
This homemade granola recipe tastes pretty awesome too.
All teas may help lower your LDL cholesterol, but a number of studies have shown that drinking a couple cups of green tea a day works best at lowering cholesterol compared to any other tea.
If you hate the taste of green tea, try squeezing in a little fresh lemon juice. The acidity will help to cut the grassy flavor.
Don’t know where to start? Check out our picks from the 12 Teas Every Man Should Try.
They’re packed with fiber, healthy fats, protein, and a variety of vitamins and minerals. While all nuts seem to lower blood cholesterol, one recent review found that pistachios possessed a potent power to decrease total cholesterol.
If plain nuts sound boring to you, try making your own nut mix recipe at home.