A healthy, low fat diet is an important part of treatment and overall healthy lifestyle. To avoid cardiovascular disease, it is recommended that patients avoid excess saturated fats. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins is most beneficial. Patients are encouraged to choose whole versus refined grains and to limit red meat by choosing lean, white meat or fish as the main protein source.
Foods are not as effective as medications in lowering cholesterol on their own, but they do have modest benefit, including:
- soy foods
- foods containing added plant stanols or sterols and dietary supplements
- Whole grains (rice bran, wheat germ, oat bran, whole wheat, brown rice)
- Some legumes (dried peas, beans, lentils, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds)
- Fruits and vegetables (oranges, apples, avocado, broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, berries)
- whole flaxseed and flaxseed lignans but not flaxseed oil
- garlic supplements
- green tea
- red yeast rice
- oats or oat bran