Header_Heart Healthy Foods at Mealtime image

Embracing Heart-Healthy Foods

Lesson 4 · 5 min

Choosing heart-healthy foods doesn’t have to feel like a chore. You likely have a lot more options than you realize. Plus, many of the choices below can actively help lower those LD (bad) cholesterol numbers!

These foods fall into a few categories: fruits and vegetables, low fat and fat-free dairy (like milk and light cheese) or fat-free nondairy (like soy milk), whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats or oils. Making these kinds of foods a part of your daily routine will get you off to a good start.

Let’s dive into which foods are especially nutritious.

Fast fact

A plant-based diet can significantly reduce LDL cholesterol. Although not right for everyone, switching to an all-vegetarian diet could help lower both LDL and total cholesterol, and reduce your risk of heart disease by nearly 30 percent.