Does Oatmeal Lower cholesterol? (2023)

How effective is oatmeal in reducing cholesterol?

Eating just one and one-half cups of cooked oatmeal a day can lower your cholesterol by 5 to 8%. Oatmeal contains soluble and insoluble fiber – two types that your body needs. Insoluble fiber, which is also found in the skins of many fruits, helps keep us regular.

Oats significantly improved blood cholesterol levels over a period of 4 weeks in a small 2017 study .

Whole-grain oats: Best bet for lowering cholesterol.

Good news – oatmeal actually helps lower cholesterol!

Oats were the first whole grain recognized by the FDA to help reduce cholesterol. In fact, the FDA approved the first-ever food specific health claim for oatmeal because of its heart-healthy benefits in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol.

Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Soluble fiber is found in such foods as oatmeal, kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears. Add whey protein. Whey protein, which is found in dairy products, may account for many of the health benefits attributed to dairy.

Daily Servings

Eating one-and-a-half cups of cooked oatmeal each day is recommended to help lower your cholesterol.

Classic Cheerios. You're looking for fiber and the cholesterol-reducing benefit of oats, right? A bowl of Cheerios has more fiber (4 grams) than a packet of instant oatmeal (3 g), though both are made of whole oats.

Walking raises your “good” cholesterol and lowers your “bad” cholesterol. A brisk 30-minute walk three times per week is enough to raise your “good” cholesterol (HDL) and lower your “bad” cholesterol (LDL) a few points. This amount of exercise, even without weight loss, is shown to improve your cholesterol levels.

Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods

Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol. Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears.

Is peanut butter good for cholesterol?

Helps heart health

Due to its high amount of unsaturated fats, peanut butter may help reduce a person's LDL cholesterol levels. Having optimal LDL levels is linked with a lower risk of heart disease. A 2015 study found that people who had a high intake of nuts may have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.

The fiber and potassium in bananas can reduce the level of cholesterol and blood pressure. Banana is especially known as a good source of soluble fibre which will gives one a healthy body and good immune system.

A person is considered at high risk for developing heart disease if their total cholesterol level is higher than 240 mg/dL, LDL levels are higher than 160 mg/dL (190 mg/dL is even higher risk), and if the HDL level is below 40 mg/dL.

7. Apples, grapes, strawberries, citrus fruits. These fruits are rich in pectin, a type of soluble fiber that lowers LDL.

A clinical study showed that eating two 1.5 cup servings daily of Cheerios cereal reduced bad cholesterol when eaten as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol."

Cholesterol drops over time, not suddenly, after a few days of healthier living. There is no set period in which cholesterol is guaranteed to drop. Cholesterol-lowering drugs usually produce a change in LDL within 6 to 8 weeks. It is possible for lifestyle changes to change cholesterol levels within weeks.

When people have high cholesterol their LDL (bad) is high and their HDL (good) is low. Eating healthy, regular exercise and drinking plenty of water will help to bring down cholesterol levels within 2-3 weeks.

A person can combat high cholesterol by exercising regularly. Forms of exercise that help a person lower their total and LDL cholesterol levels include walking, running, cycling, and swimming. Often, these exercises can also help raise the levels of a person's HDL cholesterol.

Scrambled eggs are very good for you. In fact, eggs, whether scrambled or otherwise are one of the most nutrient-rich foods on the planet. After decades of misinformation, we now know that for healthy people, eggs have no negative effects on heart health, and may actually improve cholesterol levels.

Wholemeal (wholegrain) bread is great for lowering cholesterol because it contains the whole of the grain, which includes the outer fibre-rich bran layer.

What can I take instead of statins to lower cholesterol?

Tisch Center for Women's Health at the NYU Langone Medical Center, says it can take between three to six months to see lower LDL numbers through just diet and exercise, noting that it takes longer to see changes in women than men. Read on for more information on how to lower your LDL levels.

If you have high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes or heart disease you should consider limiting eggs to 1 to 2 per week.

Both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids help lower LDL. Most plant-derived oils, including canola, safflower, sunflower, olive, grapeseed, and peanut oils, contain both. Fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, trout, herring, and mackerel), seeds, nuts, avocados and soybeans are also great sources.

Although there are popular myths that taking fish oil lowers your cholesterol, it does not. It will lower your triglycerides, may modestly raise your HDL (which is a benefit), but can actually raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol, which is not a benefit.