Cholesterol is a wax-like substance present in every cell of the body. Although it is essential for the production of new cells and certain hormones, excess amounts of cholesterol in the body can lead to several health conditions like high blood pressure, angina, and stroke. Here’s a list of top cholesterol-reducing foods that you can include in your regular diet to keep your cholesterol levels in check:

Avocados
Avocados have high unsaturated fat content and are great additions to your diet to bring down your LDL cholesterol levels. You can make a guacamole dip or add them to salads or smoothies to include them in your regular diet.

Legumes
Legumes like chickpeas, kidney beans, peanuts, soybeans, and black-eyed beans contain a lot of fiber, minerals, and proteins. Major studies from across the world prove that adding a minimum of 100 grams of legumes to your daily diet helps bring down LDL cholesterol levels significantly. Legumes are definitely one of the top cholesterol-reducing foods you should eat regularly.

Foods with omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are best friends for your heart. They help increase HDL or good cholesterol levels and bring down LDL or bad cholesterol levels. Omega-3 fatty acid-rich foods are also among the top cholesterol-reducing foods that improve health. Some of the foods rich in omega-3s are:

• Fatty fishes like salmon, herring, and mackerel
• All kinds of nuts and seeds
• Cod liver oil
• Oysters
• Soybeans

Oats
Oats is a hearty and healthy meal all by itself, and it is fiber-rich and packed with nutrients. Including oats in your regular diet will help bring down your cholesterol levels naturally. Oats contain a soluble fiber called beta-glucan, which helps reduce LDL cholesterol levels. You can make oats porridge or cookies.

All kinds of fruits
All fruits are another fiber-rich, cholesterol-reducing foods that you should eat every day. Include multi-colored fruits to get your source of vitamins and minerals. Pectin, a soluble fiber that has proven to bring down cholesterol levels, is present in berries, citrus fruits, and apples, so ensure that you add them to your fruit salad bowl.

Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate contains cocoa, which is a beneficial ingredient to bring down your blood cholesterol levels. Studies show that consuming two cups of cocoa-based beverages every day for 30 days can bring down your LDL cholesterol levels and improve the HDL cholesterol levels. That said, you should choose dark chocolate-based cocoa to avoid too much sugar.

Garlic
Garlic contains a compound called allicin that has been proven to bring down blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

All these cholesterol-reducing foods can gradually help improve your HDL cholesterol levels and lower your LDL cholesterol levels. If your cholesterol levels are borderline high, you can use these diet tips to naturally bring them down without any medications.