2-Red Wine or Grapes: A Toast to Resveratrol
A plant-based chemical known as resveratrol, found in the red grapes used to make red wine, has been shown to lower blood levels of LDL cholesterol. It also appears to protect against coronary artery disease, thanks to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, a glass of red wine with a meal can help prevent the constriction of blood vessels that can follow a fatty meal and lead to atherosclerosis and heart attack.
If you don't drink, don't start now: You can get resveratrol from red, black, and purple grapes outright, and from blueberries, cranberries, and even peanut butter. If you do drink, limit your consumption of red wine to one or two 5-ounce glasses a day.
3- Antioxidants are important because when LDL cholesterol interacts with free radicals to become oxidized, it is more likely to promote inflammation and plaque build-up in the arteries.
4-Walnuts, almonds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and flaxseeds are all excellent sources of protein, heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
When substituted for saturated fat in the diet, nuts and seeds have been shown to help lower LDL cholesterol (and total cholesterol) without affecting levels of good high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.
Since nuts and seeds are calorie-dense, you'll need to limit your daily intake to about 1 ounce (1/4 cup) and also make sure the nuts aren't salted or coated with sugar.
5-Oats and oat bran contain beta-glucan, a water-soluble fiber that has been found to help reduce the amount of LDL cholesterol circulating in the blood.
Studies show that a daily intake of at least 3 grams of oat beta-glucan may reduce LDL cholesterol levels by 7 percent on average.
That's the amount in 1/4 cup of uncooked oat bran (enjoy it as a hot cereal or add it to smoothies and baked goods) or 1½ cups of cooked steel-cut oatmeal. It is also believed that polyphenolic antioxidant compounds found in oat bran, called avenanthramides, can help prevent inflammation and plaque build-up by keeping blood cells from sticking to artery walls.
6-All varieties of antioxidant-rich tea (white, black, green, oolong) can help lower LDL, but green tea, which is particularly rich in the powerful antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has shown the best results in lowering LDL levels by about 2 percent. Unlike other teas, which are made from fermented leaves, green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG from being oxidized. While some studies have been done with an intake of 7 or more cups a day, drinking a few cups of green tea daily should help and will keep you from getting too much caffeine. Preparing your green tea with loose tea, rather than tea bags, provides more EGCG.
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Source
http://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-health-pictures/eight-foods-that-help-lower-cholesterol.aspx#08
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