When you’re considering foods to eat on a cholesterol-lowering diet, it’s likely that you focus mainly on consuming less animal meat and more fruits and vegetables. Eating grains is probably an afterthought since they don’t contain much if any fat. But you may be surprised to learn that, when you’re trying to lower your cholesterol, the types of grains you eat can make a difference in your results.
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Carbohydrates and Your Heart Health
You need carbohydrates to provide your body with the energy it needs. However, according to the National Cholesterol Education Program, your carbohydrate intake should not exceed 60% of your total daily calories.Too much carbohydrate in your diet may not be good for your heart.
Studies have linked the high consumption of carbohydrates to high levels oftriglycerides(a type of fat found throughout the body), lower levels of HDL, or “good,” cholesterol, and weight gain.
As you can see, choosing the right types of grains to eat on a cholesterol-lowering meal plan is important for keeping your cholesterol levels within a healthy range. It may even help lower your cholesterol slightly.
Which Grains Are Best
When planning meals for your cholesterol-lowering diet, it’s important to select whole grain bread, pasta, and cereals and to avoid refined, processed grains, which are found in foods like egg noodles, white bread, pastries, muffins, and crackers.
But that doesn’t mean you have to take all the fun out of eating! You can prepare many different and delicious meals and snacks using heart-healthy grains. Here are some tips to help you choose the healthiest types of grains to eat on a cholesterol-lowering diet:
Frequently Asked QuestionsYes, brown rice is good for cholesterol. One study showed that regularly eating brown rice can help lowerLDL cholesterol.High levels of LDL cholesterol increase the risk of multiple health conditions, including heart attack and stroke. If you are seeking to maintain a reduced-cholesterol diet, try replacing white rice with brown rice.Sourdough bread may be good for cholesterol in some people. In one study, participants saw a reduction in serum cholesterol from sourdough bread, while others did not see meaningful effects.In another study, people with the APOE E3/E3 genotype experienced heightened LDL cholesterol from eating sourdough bread, making it a potentially poor choice for high cholesterol in these participants.It may be best to speak to your healthcare provider for their recommendations on which bread you should eat to manage cholesterol.One serving of whole-grain couscous contains a healthy amount of fiber. It also contains healthy amounts of protein, and is a good substitute for white rice.Whole-grain couscous, whole-grain rice, soybeans, and lentils are all great options for managing cholesterol.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, brown rice is good for cholesterol. One study showed that regularly eating brown rice can help lowerLDL cholesterol.High levels of LDL cholesterol increase the risk of multiple health conditions, including heart attack and stroke. If you are seeking to maintain a reduced-cholesterol diet, try replacing white rice with brown rice.
Sourdough bread may be good for cholesterol in some people. In one study, participants saw a reduction in serum cholesterol from sourdough bread, while others did not see meaningful effects.In another study, people with the APOE E3/E3 genotype experienced heightened LDL cholesterol from eating sourdough bread, making it a potentially poor choice for high cholesterol in these participants.It may be best to speak to your healthcare provider for their recommendations on which bread you should eat to manage cholesterol.
One serving of whole-grain couscous contains a healthy amount of fiber. It also contains healthy amounts of protein, and is a good substitute for white rice.Whole-grain couscous, whole-grain rice, soybeans, and lentils are all great options for managing cholesterol.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III).Third report of the national cholesterol education program (NCEP) expert panel on detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults (Adult treatment panel iii) final report.Circulation. 2002;106(25):3143-3421.Jung CH, Choi KM.Impact of high-carbohydrate diet on metabolic parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes.Nutrients. 2017;9(4). doi:10.3390/nu9040322Cooper DN, Kable ME, Marco ML, et al.The Effects of Moderate Whole Grain Consumption on Fasting Glucose and Lipids, Gastrointestinal Symptoms, and Microbiota.Nutrients. 2017;9(2). doi:10.3390/nu9020173Dixit AA, Azar KM, Gardner CD, Palaniappan LP.Incorporation of whole, ancient grains into a modern Asian Indian diet to reduce the burden of chronic disease.Nutr Rev. 2011;69(8):479-88. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2011.00411.xMalik VS, Sudha V, Wedick NM, et al.Substituting brown rice for white rice on diabetes risk factors in India: a randomised controlled trial.Br J Nutr. 2019;121(12):1389-1397. doi:10.1017/S000711451900076XLau SW, Chong AQ, Chin NL, Talib RA, Basha RK.Sourdough microbiome comparison and benefits.Microorganisms. 2021;9(7):1355 doi:10.3390/microorganisms9071355Tucker A, MacKay K, Robinson L, et al.The effect of whole grain wheat sourdough bread consumption on serum lipids in healthy normoglycemic/normoinsulinemic and hyperglycemic/hyperinsulinemic adults depends on presence of theAPOEE3/E3 genotype: a randomized controlled trial.Nutr Metab (Lond).2010;7(1):37. doi:10.1186/1743-7075-7-37Additional ReadingNational Institutes of Health: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults (PDF).Whitney E, Rolfes SR.Understanding nutrition. 11th ed. USA: Wadsworth Publishing; 2007.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III).Third report of the national cholesterol education program (NCEP) expert panel on detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults (Adult treatment panel iii) final report.Circulation. 2002;106(25):3143-3421.Jung CH, Choi KM.Impact of high-carbohydrate diet on metabolic parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes.Nutrients. 2017;9(4). doi:10.3390/nu9040322Cooper DN, Kable ME, Marco ML, et al.The Effects of Moderate Whole Grain Consumption on Fasting Glucose and Lipids, Gastrointestinal Symptoms, and Microbiota.Nutrients. 2017;9(2). doi:10.3390/nu9020173Dixit AA, Azar KM, Gardner CD, Palaniappan LP.Incorporation of whole, ancient grains into a modern Asian Indian diet to reduce the burden of chronic disease.Nutr Rev. 2011;69(8):479-88. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2011.00411.xMalik VS, Sudha V, Wedick NM, et al.Substituting brown rice for white rice on diabetes risk factors in India: a randomised controlled trial.Br J Nutr. 2019;121(12):1389-1397. doi:10.1017/S000711451900076XLau SW, Chong AQ, Chin NL, Talib RA, Basha RK.Sourdough microbiome comparison and benefits.Microorganisms. 2021;9(7):1355 doi:10.3390/microorganisms9071355Tucker A, MacKay K, Robinson L, et al.The effect of whole grain wheat sourdough bread consumption on serum lipids in healthy normoglycemic/normoinsulinemic and hyperglycemic/hyperinsulinemic adults depends on presence of theAPOEE3/E3 genotype: a randomized controlled trial.Nutr Metab (Lond).2010;7(1):37. doi:10.1186/1743-7075-7-37Additional ReadingNational Institutes of Health: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults (PDF).Whitney E, Rolfes SR.Understanding nutrition. 11th ed. USA: Wadsworth Publishing; 2007.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III).Third report of the national cholesterol education program (NCEP) expert panel on detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults (Adult treatment panel iii) final report.Circulation. 2002;106(25):3143-3421.Jung CH, Choi KM.Impact of high-carbohydrate diet on metabolic parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes.Nutrients. 2017;9(4). doi:10.3390/nu9040322Cooper DN, Kable ME, Marco ML, et al.The Effects of Moderate Whole Grain Consumption on Fasting Glucose and Lipids, Gastrointestinal Symptoms, and Microbiota.Nutrients. 2017;9(2). doi:10.3390/nu9020173Dixit AA, Azar KM, Gardner CD, Palaniappan LP.Incorporation of whole, ancient grains into a modern Asian Indian diet to reduce the burden of chronic disease.Nutr Rev. 2011;69(8):479-88. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2011.00411.xMalik VS, Sudha V, Wedick NM, et al.Substituting brown rice for white rice on diabetes risk factors in India: a randomised controlled trial.Br J Nutr. 2019;121(12):1389-1397. doi:10.1017/S000711451900076XLau SW, Chong AQ, Chin NL, Talib RA, Basha RK.Sourdough microbiome comparison and benefits.Microorganisms. 2021;9(7):1355 doi:10.3390/microorganisms9071355Tucker A, MacKay K, Robinson L, et al.The effect of whole grain wheat sourdough bread consumption on serum lipids in healthy normoglycemic/normoinsulinemic and hyperglycemic/hyperinsulinemic adults depends on presence of theAPOEE3/E3 genotype: a randomized controlled trial.Nutr Metab (Lond).2010;7(1):37. doi:10.1186/1743-7075-7-37
National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III).Third report of the national cholesterol education program (NCEP) expert panel on detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults (Adult treatment panel iii) final report.Circulation. 2002;106(25):3143-3421.
Jung CH, Choi KM.Impact of high-carbohydrate diet on metabolic parameters in patients with type 2 diabetes.Nutrients. 2017;9(4). doi:10.3390/nu9040322
Cooper DN, Kable ME, Marco ML, et al.The Effects of Moderate Whole Grain Consumption on Fasting Glucose and Lipids, Gastrointestinal Symptoms, and Microbiota.Nutrients. 2017;9(2). doi:10.3390/nu9020173
Dixit AA, Azar KM, Gardner CD, Palaniappan LP.Incorporation of whole, ancient grains into a modern Asian Indian diet to reduce the burden of chronic disease.Nutr Rev. 2011;69(8):479-88. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2011.00411.x
Malik VS, Sudha V, Wedick NM, et al.Substituting brown rice for white rice on diabetes risk factors in India: a randomised controlled trial.Br J Nutr. 2019;121(12):1389-1397. doi:10.1017/S000711451900076X
Lau SW, Chong AQ, Chin NL, Talib RA, Basha RK.Sourdough microbiome comparison and benefits.Microorganisms. 2021;9(7):1355 doi:10.3390/microorganisms9071355
Tucker A, MacKay K, Robinson L, et al.The effect of whole grain wheat sourdough bread consumption on serum lipids in healthy normoglycemic/normoinsulinemic and hyperglycemic/hyperinsulinemic adults depends on presence of theAPOEE3/E3 genotype: a randomized controlled trial.Nutr Metab (Lond).2010;7(1):37. doi:10.1186/1743-7075-7-37
National Institutes of Health: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults (PDF).Whitney E, Rolfes SR.Understanding nutrition. 11th ed. USA: Wadsworth Publishing; 2007.
National Institutes of Health: The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on detection, evaluation, and treatment of high blood cholesterol in adults (PDF).
Whitney E, Rolfes SR.Understanding nutrition. 11th ed. USA: Wadsworth Publishing; 2007.
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