14 Foods That Can Help You Lower Your Cholesterol, According to Experts

Although cholesterol is not inherently bad for you, health experts say that high levels of a certain type of cholesterol can cause fatty buildups in your arteries, which may lead to severe heart problems including heart disease or a heart attack. According to the American Heart Association, high cholesterol may be genetic but it can also be caused by smoking, a poor diet, or lack of physical exercise. If you're actively trying to lower your cholesterol, add—or increase certain amounts of—healthy fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes to your diet, which will have a positive impact on your overall health and well-being, too.

There are two kinds of cholesterol—HDL (high-density lipoprotein), which is considered good cholesterol, and LDL (low-density lipoprotein), the bad kind of cholesterol. Experts say that adding ingredients with high levels of soluble and dietary fiber can have the most significant impact on lowering bad cholesterol levels. Legumes, which include black beans, kidney beans, lentils, and chickpeas, are among the best things you can eat to increase fiber and lower cholesterol.

Of course, health experts always tout the benefits of raw fruits and vegetables. While all produce has health benefits, the best fruits for lowering cholesterol include bananas, citruses, apples, plums (and prunes), grapes, and strawberries. Even cooked fruits and vegetables have some health benefits, but if you want to maximize their nutritional content, they're best consumed raw. Here, we're sharing the best foods to add to your diet to lower high levels of bad cholesterol.