Foods That Lower LDL Cholesterol 30 Percent in Four Weeks: The Expert Picks That Rival Statins
The second food on our best-of list is the perfect crunchy snack
Key Takeaways
- Eating a combo of cholesterol-lowering foods can reduce LDL as much as a statin.
- Eating 20 grams of viscous fiber daily binds to cholesterol to flush it out.
- Plant proteins and sterols actively block the body from absorbing bad LDL.
Are you among the millions of us with high cholesterol who don’t want to take prescription meds or are wary of statin side effects? We have very good news: An eating pattern created by University of Toronto’s David Jenkins, MD, uses foods that lower LDL cholesterol to bring your numbers down incredibly fast. In an American Journal of Clincal Nutrition study, the approach slashed LDL by 30 percent in four weeks, almost the exact results as a control group put on statins. Keep reading to find out how to try it for yourself.
What exactly is LDL cholesterol—and why is it bad?
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance produced by the liver and found in certain foods. It gets a bad rap, but experts say we actually need moderate amounts of the stuff for functions like building cell walls, making hormones and producing vitamin D.
Cholesterol travels through the bloodstream as particles nicknamed LDL (“bad”) and HDL (“good”). LDL is the bad guy because when levels are too high, “it can adhere to our blood vessels and increase risk for cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke,” explains Nutrition for Optimal Performance founder Theresa DeLorenzo, DCN, a nutrition professor at Russell Sage College.
Are your LDL cholesterol levels normal?
You’ll need a simple blood test from a healthcare provider to find out where you stand. Here’s a handy cholesterol chart to help you understand your results:
| LDL level (mg/dL) | What it means |
| Less than 100 | Optimal |
| 100 to 129 | Normal |
| 130 to 159 | Borderline |
| 160 to 189 | High |
| 190 or above | Very high |
If you have high cholesterol, DeLorenzo says most doctors will recommend you try diet tweaks and other healthy lifestyle habits before you go on statins. While statins are highly effective and safe for most adults, the common cholesterol med may increase the risk of blood sugar issues and can have other (often temporary) side effects like muscle aches and cognitive changes.
4 foods that lower LDL cholesterol like an Rx
To create the approach that lowers LDL by 30 percent in four weeks, Dr. Jenkins looked at foods proven to lower LDL cholesterol fastest, put them all together and, well… magic happened. He dubbed this style of eating the Portfolio Diet, because each food contributes small wins that add up to a jackpot—just like a “portfolio” of investments. Let’s break down the key heart-healthy, LDL-lowering foods he included.
Oat bran and foods rich in viscous fiber
Portfolio dieters got 20 grams of viscous fiber per day as part of a healthy 2,000-calorie menu. What is viscous fiber? “It’s soluble fiber that turns into a thick gel as it breaks down in the body,” explains women’s health expert Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, author of The New Fat Flush Plan. Not only does the gel help prevent blood-sugar spikes and slow digestion to keep you full longer, it actually binds to cholesterol. “It is then harmlessly excreted.” It’s so effective, getting 3 daily grams of beta-glucan—the viscous fiber in oats—lowered LDL by six percent in four weeks during a Journal of Nutrition study.
To get 20 grams of viscous fiber a day, enjoy at least one of the following at most sittings: oat bran (4 grams per ½ cup); rolled oats (3 grams per ½ cup); chia seeds (4 grams per 2 Tbs.); black beans or lentils (4 grams per cup); flaxseed (3 grams per 2 Tbs.); barley (3 grams per ½ cup) and apples (1 gram per fruit). Gittleman notes that you can also add psyllium husk (3 grams per Tbs.) to a smoothie.
Almonds, pecans, walnuts—and the whole nut dish
As part of his original protocol, Dr. Jenkins had folks eat 28 almonds a day. The guidelines were later expanded to include all nuts. And it’s no wonder. A recent American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study found eating 20 pecan halves a day reduced LDL cholesterol by 7.2 mg/dL in 12 weeks. There are also similar findings for walnuts.
Nuts lower LDL in part because they’re so rich in a type of fat called alpha linoleic acid or ALA, “which increases HDL, the protective cholesterol. HDL sweeps LDL from the blood vessels,” explains DeLorenzo.
Soy, beans, peas and any food rich in plant protein
In Dr. Jenkins studies, the Portfolio dieters got at least 43 grams of plant protein a day, with an emphasis on soy protein from sources like edamame and tofu. Why? Compounds in soy—special peptides and isoflavone antioxidants—appear to prompt the liver to clear LDL from the bloodstream, says Gittleman. Isoflavones have also been shown to inhibit cholesterol absorption from food.
But soy isn’t the only option. All plant protein has benefits, and things like beans, peas and even protein-rich quinoa, ancient grains (amaranth, farro and teff), wild rice and brown rice are all good options. They’re loaded with fiber and other LDL-fighting nutrients. Plus, “Plant sources of protein are typically lower in saturated fat,” notes Kirstyn Norman, a U.K. hospital doctor and nutrition expert known as The Cholesterol Coach. “So replacing animal protein with soy and legumes will naturally reduce saturated fat intake.” And reduced saturated fat intake is linked to far better LDL levels.
Special margarine and smoothies with added plant sterols
Plant sterols (sometimes called stanols or phytosterols) are the plant equivalent of cholesterol, helping plants build cell walls just as cholesterol helps humans build cell walls. “Plant sterols compete for absorption with cholesterol,” explains DeLorenzo. So when you have plant sterols in your system, less cholesterol ends up in your blood.
To mimic the plan that lowers LDL by 30 percent in four weeks, you’ll want to aim for 2 grams of plant sterols per day. To get high enough amounts of this cholesterol-lowering nutrient, Dr. Jenkins recommends Benecol brand spread—a margarine that is sterol-fortified and provides about 1 gram per tablespoon. There’s a store locator to find Benecol near you. And if it’s not sold close enough, you can opt for a supplement instead, such as Healthfare Plant Sterols (about $20 for 60 days, available on Amazon).
The bottom line on foods that lower LDL cholesterol fast
Study participants who lowered their LDL by 30 percent had most of their meals made for them, so they stuck to Dr. Jenkins guidelines precisely and stayed close to 2,000 calories per day. In other studies where folks prepared their own food, the average LDL reduction was closer to 14 percent in 12 weeks. “This is still significant,” says Norman. Plus the diet is great for overall health and can even help some patients reduce or eliminate statins. Most importantly, “people love this way of eating,” says Gittleman. “It’s good food that happens to be good for you!”
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