Understanding Cholesterol and How to Improve Your Blood Cholesterol Levels

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a type of fat that’s found in your blood and in every cell of your body. It’s important for several bodily functions, like making hormones, supporting the nervous system as well as producing bile. Cholesterol is obtained from both the natural production in your liver and the foods you eat. There are two key types of cholesterol to keep in mind:

• • LDL (bad cholesterol): When your LDL levels are high, it can lead to plaque buildup in your arteries. This makes the arteries narrower, which raises the risk of heart disease and stroke. Focusing on maintaining low LDL levels is essential for reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
  • HDL (good cholesterol): On the flip side, HDL works to clear LDL from your arteries, helping to prevent that plaque buildup and ultimately lowering your cardiovascular risk. It’s important to aim for higher HDL levels to protect your cardiovascular health.

Simple Eating Habits to Improve Your Cholesterol Levels

The good news is that improving your cholesterol levels doesn’t require drastic changes. By adopting heart-healthy eating habits, you can make a significant impact. Diets like the Mediterranean and DASH diets are both excellent choices, as they emphasize plant-based foods, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean proteins, while limiting processed foods and unhealthy fats. These diets support the inclusion of the following foods to help you improve your cholesterol profile:

• • Fruits and vegetables: Whether fresh, frozen, or canned (with no added salt), they’re all great choices! Go for low-sodium canned veggies and fruit canned in water or 100% juice. These are packed with fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, and are naturally low in fat.
  • Whole grains: Foods like oats, quinoa, barley, and brown rice are loaded with fiber, which helps lower LDL cholesterol and keeps your heart in top shape.
  • Lean proteins: Opt for lean cuts of meat, like well-trimmed beef or pork tenderloin, center-cut pork loin, or skinless poultry. These cuts help you get the protein you need without loading up on saturated fat.
  • Fatty Fish: While lean proteins are usually the go-to, fatty fish like herring, mackerel, salmon and sardines are a great exception. They’re full of omega-3 fatty acids that do wonders for heart health. Aim to have two servings of fatty fish each week (fresh, frozen, or canned in water with no added salt).
  • Low-fat dairy: Go for 0% or 1% milk, low-fat yogurt, and cheeses with less than 20% milk fat to keep your saturated fat intake in check.
  • Healthy fats: Ditch the butter and go for healthier fats like olive oil, avocado, and unsalted nuts like almonds and walnuts. These fats help boost your HDL (good cholesterol) while lowering LDL (bad cholesterol).
  • Plant-based meat alternatives: Incorporating more plant-based proteins, like beans, legumes, and soy products (like tofu and tempeh), is a great way to improve your heart health and cholesterol levels. These foods are low in saturated fat, high in fiber, and help lower LDL cholesterol.

Replacing Unhealthy Fats with Healthier Fats

One key change to improve your cholesterol is to replace saturated fats with healthier, unsaturated fats. Incorporating olive oil or canola oil into your cooking is a great way to help reduce LDL cholesterol. Also, adding unsalted nuts and seeds to your meals is a simple but effective way to increase heart-healthy fats. If you use butter regularly, try swapping it out for non-hydrogenated margarine, which contains less saturated fats. Be cautious with tropical oils, like coconut and palm oil, since they are high in saturated fats and can raise your LDL levels.

The Power of Cooking at Home

Cooking your own meals is one of the best ways to control what’s going into your food. It allows you to make healthier choices, like using lower-fat cooking methods. Instead of frying, try baking, grilling, steaming, or broiling—these methods use less fat and still taste great. Season your meals with fresh herbs and spices to avoid adding unnecessary salt or store-bought sauces. Plus, cooking at home helps you avoid buying pre-packaged, processed foods, which often contain unhealthy fats, added sugars, and high levels of sodium. These foods—like cookies, deli meats, and frozen meals—can negatively impact heart health, so it’s essential to stay clear of them as much as possible.

Boosting Your Cholesterol with Fiber

One of the easiest ways to improve your cholesterol is by increasing your fiber intake. Foods like oats, barley, beans, and fresh fruits and vegetables are all packed with soluble fiber, which helps bind to cholesterol and remove it from your body. These foods can support healthier cholesterol levels and contribute to overall heart health. Aim for 10 g of soluble fibre every day.

The Power of Plant Sterols

Plant sterols can help lower LDL cholesterol. While small amounts naturally occur in whole grains, nuts, vegetables, and fruits, you’d need more to reach the beneficial 2 grams per day. Some foods, such as certain margarines, juices, and yogurt, are fortified with plant sterols. Check product labels for terms like "phytosterol" or "sterol esters" to identify these helpful products. If these products aren't readily available, you can also consider taking a plant sterol supplement, though it’s not recommended for children under 5 years, or during pregnancy or lactation.

Lowering Dietary Cholesterol

To keep your cholesterol levels in check, aim to consume less than 300 mg of dietary cholesterol per day. This cholesterol mainly comes from animal-based products like meats, poultry, shellfish, butter, egg yolks, and high-fat dairy. Here are a few tips:

• • Limit egg yolks to one per day, especially if you have a diet high in meat and dairy.
  • Choose smaller portions of meats, fish, and poultry.
  • Increase plant-based foods like legumes and tofu to keep your cholesterol intake low.

Simple Tips for Lowering Cholesterol

Small lifestyle changes can make a significant impact on your cholesterol levels. For example, while coffee is fine in moderation, try limiting it to three cups per day, as coffee oils can slightly raise cholesterol. When grocery shopping, be mindful of nutrition labels and look for foods lower in saturated fats, cholesterol, and added sugars. Staying active is essential too—aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week, whether that’s walking, cycling, or swimming, to help raise your HDL (good cholesterol) and support overall heart health.

Taking care of your cholesterol can be simple and delicious! With small tweaks like adding more fiber, choosing healthier fats, and cooking at home, you can boost your heart health without sacrificing flavor. It’s all about making smart choices that keep you feeling great!

References:

1. Alberta Health Services. (2024, April). Improve your cholesterol and triglycerides. Retrieved from https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/info/nutrition/if-nfs-improve-your-cholesterol-and-triglycerides.pdf

2. Dietitians of Canada. (2025, January 30). Eating guidelines for heart health (Adults with high blood fats). Practice-based Evidence in Nutrition (PEN). Retrieved from https://www.pennutrition.com/ [Available through subscription].

3. HealthLink BC. (2023, May). Cholesterol and your health. Retrieved from https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/sites/default/files/documents/healthfiles/hfile68a.pdf

4. Unlock Food. (2017, May 8). Cholesterol and your health. Retrieved from https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/ViewPDF.aspx?docid=8952&respgid=2372&lang=en&datemod=2017-05-08%202:52:51%20PM

5. Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. (2017, February 13). Healthy cholesterol. Retrieved from https://wrha.mb.ca/wp-content/site-documents/community/seniors/files/congregate-meal-toolkit/5.2Healthy%20cholesterol.pdf