Dietitian Lyndi Cohen: 10 foods to lower your high cholesterol

Dietitian Lyndi Cohen shares some of her favourite foods to help support your weight, hormones and help you reach healthier cholesterol levels.

If you could mimic the benefits of Ozempic without the side effects, would you?

While GLP-1 medications like Ozempic help regulate appetite and support metabolic health, the good news is that certain foods can have a similar effect — helping you feel fuller for longer, balance blood sugar and lower cholesterol.

Lyndi Cohen is a dietitian who promotes healthy body image.

As we enter midlife and menopause, cholesterol levels also tend to creep up, making these foods even more essential.

Here are some of my favourite foods to help support your weight, hormones and healthier cholesterol levels.

10 delicious, heart-friendly foods to include in your diet:

1. Lentils

Lentils (and any legumes) are a double whammy for your hunger, digestion and cholesterol. Try tossing a tin of chickpeas, black beans, or lentils into your bolognese sauce, curry, stew, or salad.

Pop some lentils in your spaghetti bolognese.

2. Cholesterol-lowering wholegrain bread

No need to cut out bread — just choose options that contain a mix of seeds and fibre. Burgen has a “cholesterol-lowering” bread which I think is a great option.

3. Rolled oats

A warm bowl of oats in the morning is not just cozy — it’s also packed with beta-glucan, a type of fibre that helps lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. Try overnight oats, porridge, or oat-based smoothies for a heart-healthy start to the day.

Oats are a great breakfast choice.

4. Chia seeds

Sprinkle them on yoghurt, salads, and oatmeal, mix them into homemade energy bars and granola, or make chia seed pudding with milk and fruit.

5. Fibre-rich breakfast cereal

This might surprise you, but making the right breakfast cereal choice can actively improve cholesterol levels, without tasting like cardboard. Kellogg’s All-Bran Cereal, Kellogg’Guardian cereal and Freedom Foods Active Balance Buckwheat & Quinoa are few of my favourites.

6. Oily fish

Omega-3 fatty acids in fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel can help lower triglycerides and raise good cholesterol levels. If you’re not a fan of fish, try adding flaxseeds or walnuts to your meals for a plant-based omega-3 boost.

7. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

The ‘extra virgin’ bit matters, as it’s high in antioxidants and polyphenols, thus the higher price tag. It also has a higher smoke point than regular olive oil, making it great for sauteing, roasting or light frying.

8. Frozen mixed berries

Berries (and fruits in general) are rich in antioxidants and fibre that help lower LDL cholesterol — having them with breakfast, as a snack or even dessert is a super-smart thing to do.

Lyndi Cohen says extra virgin olive oil has a higher smoke point than regular kind, meaning it was great for light frying.

9. Probiotic-filled yoghurt

Full-fat dairy isn’t the enemy when it comes to cholesterol. Something like a probiotic yoghurt can be a gut-friendly, nutritious choice. But not all yoghurt contains probiotics, so check labels for plain Greek yoghurt with live cultures.

10. Brown rice and quinoa

Going for high-fibre options (like whole grains) is a simple, yet powerful way to improve cholesterol levels. Something like eat-and-serve packs are an easy way to add that extra fibre, without the fuss.

Small changes — like choosing a cholesterol-lowering bread, using extra virgin olive oil instead of butter, snacking on fruit and adding seeds and nuts to salads and stir-fries can all make a big impact over time.

Lyndi Cohen is a Sydney-based dietitian and nutritionist who is also the author of best-selling book The Nude Nutritionist. She has more than 300,000 followers on her Instagram @nude_nutritionist where she calls out wellness wankery and nutrition nonsense to promote a healthy body image. You can also visit her website www.lyndicohen.com. She also has this Lower Cholesterol Naturally guide.

Originally published as Dietitian Lyndi Cohen: 10 foods to lower your high cholesterol