Nutrition Hotline
Lowering LDL Cholesterol
By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD
QUESTION: As a vegan with weight and blood pressure well within acceptable ranges and a relatively healthy diet, I've been dismayed to see that my total and LDL-cholesterol have been creeping up. While they are not considered "high," they are "borderline." I'll admit to not being as active as I used to be. My doctor suggests eating a healthy diet, getting more exercise, and retesting in three months. Do you have any specific suggestions for lowering my cholesterol? C.D., via email
ANSWER: Your vegan diet, weight, and blood pressure are all positives. There are some things that you can try that may be helpful in lowering your total and LDL-cholesterol. These are beneficial for overall health also.
Increasing exercise can lower LDL-cholesterol and raise HDL-cholesterol. Recommendations for adults call for at least 150 to 300 minutes a week of moderate intensity exercise or 75 to 150 minutes a week of vigorous intensity exercise.1 Examples of moderate intensity exercise include walking briskly at a pace of at least 2 1/2 miles per hour, biking, or playing doubles tennis. Examples of vigorous intensity exercise include running, swimming laps, or jumping rope. Physical activity should be increased gradually, keeping in mind that any increase in activity is beneficial. Discuss your plans for increased activity with your health care provider.
A dietary modification that can help to lower cholesterol to a more acceptable level is to boost intake of soluble viscous fiber and of legumes. Higher intakes of soluble viscous fiber—a type of fiber found in abundance in foods such as oatmeal, oat bran, barley, eggplant, okra, citrus fruits, and apples—are associated with lower total and LDL-cholesterol.2 Legumes (dried beans, peas, and lentils) also reduce LDL-cholesterol.3 Try adding one or more servings of these foods to your daily meal plan.
Vegan diets are typically low in saturated fat, but there are some vegan foods that have significant amounts of saturated fat. These include coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut milk, and vegan items made with these products such as cheese, ice cream, and yogurt. Reducing saturated fat and replacing it with unsaturated fat can result in lower LDL-cholesterol levels.4
REFERENCES:
1 U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition. 2018. health.gov/
sites/default/files/2019-09/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf
2 Mangels R, Messina V, Messina M. The Dietitian's Guide to Vegetarian Diets, 4th ed. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2023.
3 Bazzano LA, Thompson AM, Tees MT, et al. Non-soy legume consumption lowers cholesterol levels: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2011;21:94-103.
4 Sacks FM, Lichtenstein AH, Wu JHY, et al. American Heart Association. Dietary fats and cardiovascular disease: A Presidential Advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2017;18;136(3):e1-e23.
