In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleHow Soluble Fiber Can Help Lower CholesterolTips to Eat More Soluble FiberOther Strategies
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
How Soluble Fiber Can Help Lower Cholesterol
Tips to Eat More Soluble Fiber
Other Strategies
Close
Photo:Eating Well/Getty Images
Eating Well/Getty Images
If you’ve been diagnosed withhigh cholesterol, it’s all too easy to focus on what you shouldn’t eat. But did you know that eating more foods rich insoluble fiberis an easy, all-natural way to lower your numbers? Heart-healthy soluble fiber is found in foods like oats, beans, lentils, edamame, fruits and vegetables. And it does more than just lower cholesterol. Soluble fiber has also been shown to promote digestive health and support weight loss. So, there are lots of good reasons to eat more of it!
Read on to learn how adding more soluble fiber to your meals can help reduce your cholesterol and improve your overall health, plus other cholesterol-lowering strategies.
“Soluble fiber acts like a sponge in your digestive tract, binding to cholesterol to reduce its absorption in the body,” explainsMelissa Mitri, M.S., RD, a registered dietitian specializing in weight loss. How, exactly, does it work? After eating soluble fiber, it forms a gel-like substance in your digestive tract that attaches to fat-transporting substances called bile acids. This process helps whisk cholesterol out of your body and eliminate it through wasteAdditionally, research suggests that soluble fiber may feed beneficial gut bacteria. When these bacteria flourish, they produce substances called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that regulate cholesterol production in the liver and suppress its release into the bloodstream.
Tips to Incorporate More Soluble Fiber into Your Diet
Mitri suggests the following practical ways to boost your soluble fiber intake:
7 Foods to Boost Your Good Cholesterol
Other Strategies to Lower Cholesterol
While increasing soluble fiber is the best first step for lowering cholesterol, combining it with these healthy lifestyle changes can further support your cholesterol-lowering goals.
The #1 Habit to Break If You’re Trying to Lower Your Cholesterol, According to Dietitians
The Bottom Line
If lower cholesterol is a goal, add more soluble fiber to your diet. Soluble fiber helps reduce total and LDL cholesterol for better heart health while also promoting gut health and supporting weight management. To work more soluble fiber in your diet, focus on foods like oats, barley, beans, lentils, fruits, vegetables, and chia and flax seeds.
For even more cholesterol-lowering power, pair this habit with other heart-healthy lifestyle changes like exercising regularly, consuming healthy fats and avoiding tobacco and alcohol. As always, speak with your health care provider or a registered dietitian for personalized guidance on lowering your cholesterol.
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Ioniță-Mîndrican CB, Ziani K, Mititelu M, et al.Therapeutic Benefits and Dietary Restrictions of Fiber Intake: A State of the Art Review.Nutrients. 2022;14(13):2641. doi:10.3390/nu14132641Guan ZW, Yu EZ, Feng Q.Soluble Dietary Fiber, One of the Most Important Nutrients for the Gut Microbiota.Molecules. 2021;26(22):6802. doi:10.3390/molecules26226802Ghavami A, Ziaei R, Talebi S, et al.Soluble Fiber Supplementation and Serum Lipid Profile: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Adv Nutr. 2023;14(3):465-474. doi:10.1016/j.advnut.2023.01.005Franczyk B, Gluba-Brzózka A, Ciałkowska-Rysz A, et al.The Impact of Aerobic Exercise on HDL Quantity and Quality: A Narrative Review.Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(5):4653. doi:10.3390/ijms24054653American Heart Association.American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults and Kids.American Heart Association.Lose Weight and Lower Heart Disease Risk.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Smoking and Your Heart: Smoking Risks.Minzer S, Losno RA, Casas R.The Effect of Alcohol on Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Is There New Information?Nutrients. 2020;12(4):912. doi:10.3390/nu12040912U.S. Department of Agriculture. Guidance on Alcoholic Beverages in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Ioniță-Mîndrican CB, Ziani K, Mititelu M, et al.Therapeutic Benefits and Dietary Restrictions of Fiber Intake: A State of the Art Review.Nutrients. 2022;14(13):2641. doi:10.3390/nu14132641Guan ZW, Yu EZ, Feng Q.Soluble Dietary Fiber, One of the Most Important Nutrients for the Gut Microbiota.Molecules. 2021;26(22):6802. doi:10.3390/molecules26226802Ghavami A, Ziaei R, Talebi S, et al.Soluble Fiber Supplementation and Serum Lipid Profile: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Adv Nutr. 2023;14(3):465-474. doi:10.1016/j.advnut.2023.01.005Franczyk B, Gluba-Brzózka A, Ciałkowska-Rysz A, et al.The Impact of Aerobic Exercise on HDL Quantity and Quality: A Narrative Review.Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(5):4653. doi:10.3390/ijms24054653American Heart Association.American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults and Kids.American Heart Association.Lose Weight and Lower Heart Disease Risk.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Smoking and Your Heart: Smoking Risks.Minzer S, Losno RA, Casas R.The Effect of Alcohol on Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Is There New Information?Nutrients. 2020;12(4):912. doi:10.3390/nu12040912U.S. Department of Agriculture. Guidance on Alcoholic Beverages in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
Ioniță-Mîndrican CB, Ziani K, Mititelu M, et al.Therapeutic Benefits and Dietary Restrictions of Fiber Intake: A State of the Art Review.Nutrients. 2022;14(13):2641. doi:10.3390/nu14132641Guan ZW, Yu EZ, Feng Q.Soluble Dietary Fiber, One of the Most Important Nutrients for the Gut Microbiota.Molecules. 2021;26(22):6802. doi:10.3390/molecules26226802Ghavami A, Ziaei R, Talebi S, et al.Soluble Fiber Supplementation and Serum Lipid Profile: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Adv Nutr. 2023;14(3):465-474. doi:10.1016/j.advnut.2023.01.005Franczyk B, Gluba-Brzózka A, Ciałkowska-Rysz A, et al.The Impact of Aerobic Exercise on HDL Quantity and Quality: A Narrative Review.Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(5):4653. doi:10.3390/ijms24054653American Heart Association.American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults and Kids.American Heart Association.Lose Weight and Lower Heart Disease Risk.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Smoking and Your Heart: Smoking Risks.Minzer S, Losno RA, Casas R.The Effect of Alcohol on Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Is There New Information?Nutrients. 2020;12(4):912. doi:10.3390/nu12040912U.S. Department of Agriculture. Guidance on Alcoholic Beverages in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Ioniță-Mîndrican CB, Ziani K, Mititelu M, et al.Therapeutic Benefits and Dietary Restrictions of Fiber Intake: A State of the Art Review.Nutrients. 2022;14(13):2641. doi:10.3390/nu14132641
Guan ZW, Yu EZ, Feng Q.Soluble Dietary Fiber, One of the Most Important Nutrients for the Gut Microbiota.Molecules. 2021;26(22):6802. doi:10.3390/molecules26226802
Ghavami A, Ziaei R, Talebi S, et al.Soluble Fiber Supplementation and Serum Lipid Profile: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Adv Nutr. 2023;14(3):465-474. doi:10.1016/j.advnut.2023.01.005
Franczyk B, Gluba-Brzózka A, Ciałkowska-Rysz A, et al.The Impact of Aerobic Exercise on HDL Quantity and Quality: A Narrative Review.Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(5):4653. doi:10.3390/ijms24054653
American Heart Association.American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults and Kids.
American Heart Association.Lose Weight and Lower Heart Disease Risk.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Smoking and Your Heart: Smoking Risks.
Minzer S, Losno RA, Casas R.The Effect of Alcohol on Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Is There New Information?Nutrients. 2020;12(4):912. doi:10.3390/nu12040912
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Guidance on Alcoholic Beverages in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans
