Foods That Lower Cholesterol: What Works and How Much to Eat

Written by Robbie Clark, BExSc (Nutrition), M (Nutr+Diet), Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) and Exercise Scientist · Last updated 19 October 2026 · 7 references

High cholesterol has no symptoms, but it's one of the main risk factors for heart attack and stroke. The good news is that what you eat can make a real difference. Here are the foods with the best evidence for lowering cholesterol, how much you need, and the swaps that help most.

What is LDL cholesterol and why does it matter?

Cholesterol is a fatty substance your body needs to make cells and hormones. It travels in your blood in particles called lipoproteins. LDL (low-density lipoprotein) is often called "bad" cholesterol, because too much of it can build up in the walls of your arteries, narrowing them and raising your risk of heart attack and stroke. HDL is often called "good" cholesterol.

Your doctor won't look at your cholesterol on its own. They'll combine it with your age, blood pressure, smoking, diabetes and other factors to estimate your overall risk of heart disease, and use that to decide what you need.⁷

Which foods lower cholesterol?

• Oats and barley. They contain a soluble fibre called beta-glucan, which helps remove cholesterol from your body. A review of 58 trials found oat beta-glucan lowered LDL by about 4%.² Try porridge, oat bran, or barley in soups and salads.
• Legumes, like chickpeas, lentils and beans. Eating about one serve a day (around 130 g, or just under a cup cooked) lowered LDL by 0.17 mmol/L in trials.⁴
• Nuts, like almonds, walnuts and peanuts. A small handful (30 g) a day is a good target.
• Soy foods, like tofu, tempeh, edamame and soy milk, which provide plant protein.
• Foods with added plant sterols, like some margarines, milks and yoghurts. Eating 0.6–3.3 g of plant sterols a day lowered LDL by about 6–12%, with the effect levelling off at around 3 g.³ Check the label for how much to have each day.
• Vegetables, fruit and wholegrains, which add more soluble fibre.

What's the most effective way to eat for lower cholesterol?

Combining several cholesterol-lowering foods works better than relying on one. The "portfolio diet" adds nuts, plant protein (like soy and legumes), soluble fibre (like oats and barley) and plant sterols to an already healthy, low-saturated-fat diet. In a review of trials in people with high cholesterol, it lowered LDL by about 17%, and also improved blood pressure and other heart risk factors.¹

A day built on these foods might include porridge with soy milk for breakfast, a handful of nuts as a snack, a lentil and barley soup for lunch, and a tofu stir-fry with vegetables for dinner, cooked in olive oil.

Which fats raise or lower cholesterol?

Saturated fat raises LDL cholesterol. A Cochrane review found that cutting saturated fat for at least two years lowered the risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular events by 17%. Replacing it with polyunsaturated fats or healthy carbohydrates, like wholegrains, worked best.⁵

• Eat less: butter, cream, fatty and processed meats, pastries, biscuits, cakes, fried takeaway, and coconut and palm oil.
• Eat more: olive and canola oil, nuts and seeds, avocado, and oily fish like salmon and sardines.

Australia's Heart Foundation recommends choosing reduced-fat, unflavoured milk, yoghurt and cheese if you have high cholesterol. It also suggests limiting red meat to less than 350 g a week, and processed meats as much as possible.⁶

Do eggs raise cholesterol?

For most healthy people, eggs have little effect on heart disease risk. But if you already have high cholesterol, heart disease or type 2 diabetes, the Heart Foundation recommends eating fewer than seven eggs a week.⁶ For more detail, see are eggs bad for cholesterol?

How much can diet lower your cholesterol?

Each food has a modest effect on its own, usually a few percent. But together they add up, and a combined approach like the portfolio diet lowered LDL by about 17% in trials.¹ Losing weight if you need to, being active and not smoking help your heart even more.

Some people have high cholesterol mainly because of their genes, and diet alone won't bring it down enough. That's when medicine may be needed, and diet still helps it work better.

Frequently asked questions

What foods lower cholesterol quickly?

Oats, barley, legumes, nuts, soy and foods with added plant sterols can lower LDL within weeks, especially when eaten together.¹

Do plant sterol spreads work?

Yes. Eating 0.6–3.3 g of plant sterols a day lowered LDL by about 6–12% in trials.³

Are oats good for cholesterol?

Yes. Oats contain beta-glucan, a soluble fibre that lowered LDL by about 4% across 58 trials.²

Can I eat eggs if I have high cholesterol?

Yes, but the Heart Foundation suggests fewer than seven a week if you have high cholesterol.⁶

Can diet replace cholesterol medication?

Not always. For some people, diet is enough; others need medication as well. Your doctor will base this on your overall heart risk.⁷

References

Research

1. Chiavaroli L, Nishi SK, Khan TA, et al. Portfolio dietary pattern and cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2018;61(1):43–53. PubMed 29807048
2. Ho HV, Sievenpiper JL, Zurbau A, et al. The effect of oat β-glucan on LDL-cholesterol, non-HDL-cholesterol and apoB for CVD risk reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials. Br J Nutr. 2016;116(8):1369–1382. PubMed 27724985
3. Ras RT, Geleijnse JM, Trautwein EA. LDL-cholesterol-lowering effect of plant sterols and stanols across different dose ranges: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled studies. Br J Nutr. 2014;112(2):214–219. PubMed 24780090
4. Ha V, Sievenpiper JL, de Souza RJ, et al. Effect of dietary pulse intake on established therapeutic lipid targets for cardiovascular risk reduction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. CMAJ. 2014;186(8):E252–E262. PubMed 24710915
5. Hooper L, Martin N, Jimoh OF, et al. Reduction in saturated fat intake for cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;8:CD011737. View source

Australian guidelines

6. Stroke Foundation. New advice from the Heart Foundation on meat, dairy and eggs (2019). View source
7. Nelson MR, Banks E, Brown A, et al. 2023 Australian guideline for assessing and managing cardiovascular disease risk. Med J Aust. 2024;220(9). View source

This article is general information, not medical advice. Speak with your doctor or practitioner about your cholesterol and heart health.