Many foods can help reduce high cholesterol levels, and the more varieties of cholesterol-reducing foods you include in your daily diet, the better is the possibility of keeping it under control. Here are 5 foods to eat when you have high cholesterol that leads to clogged arteries and can cause heart diseases:

Soy and soy products
All soy and soy products like soy milk, tofu, soynut butter, and edamame beans are naturally cholesterol-free and low in saturated fats. Soy is one of the top 5 foods to eat when you have high cholesterol. It contains vitamins and minerals, monounsaturated fats, and fiber and can reduce the Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol levels significantly. It is also a good substitute for animal protein.

Fatty fish
Fatty cold-water fish contain omega-3 fatty acids in abundance and are low in saturated and trans fats. Omega-3 fats are essential dietary fats capable of reducing triglycerides and increasing High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol levels, helping maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Try to have grilled or baked fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, trout, or fish oil supplements twice a week for the best benefits.

Pectin-rich fruits and vegetables
Pectin, a water-soluble fiber mostly found in the cell walls of plants, binds cholesterol and prevents its absorption into the blood, lowering its levels in the bloodstream.
Apples, peels of citrus fruits, cherries, and plums have numerous health benefits, including the ability to lower cholesterol and improve control over blood glucose.

Plant stanols and sterols
The next one on the list of the top 5 foods to eat when you have high cholesterol are foods with sterols and stanols. They are quite similar to cholesterol, so they imitate real cholesterol molecules in the bloodstream and block their absorption. Instead of accumulating and clogging arteries, excess cholesterol is then sent out of the system through the kidneys. Sterols and stanols are naturally present in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and edible seeds, and nuts. Nowadays, you can also find sterol-fortified foods like fortified bread, cheese, margarine, juice, and milk.

Spices
Apart from increasing flavor in foods, spices have numerous health benefits.

• Cayenne pepper contains potent antioxidants, vitamin C, potassium, and capsaicin that affects cholesterol molecules. They lower total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol levels, increase HDL cholesterol levels, and have anti-inflammatory effects. The capsaicin in peppers also prevents plaque formation in artery walls.
• Famed for its distinct aroma and flavor and used in both sweet and spicy dishes, cinnamon has multiple health benefits. It can lower fasting blood sugar levels, reduce the risk of heart disease, also brings down triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol levels. Additionally, it helps reduce blood pressure levels.
• Having four pods of garlic every day lowers blood lipid levels and, in particular, the total and LDL cholesterol levels.
• Diced, sliced, pickled, candied, juiced, or powdered ginger, or ginger in supplement forms has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Apart from increasing HDL cholesterol levels, ginger can decrease triglycerides and total cholesterol levels that are associated with the risk of heart diseases. The components in ginger work the same way as some cholesterol-lowering medications.