Reading that cereal box at breakfast that promises to “help lower cholesterol” can seem almost too good to be true. Fortunately, Ohio and Michigan skilled nursing facility dietitians from SKLD are here to weigh in on whether it is true and why a healthy cholesterol level is important in the first place.

September is National Cholesterol Education Awareness month, the perfect opportunity to take some time to learn more about cholesterol, its effect on the body and some steps to take toward a healthier lifestyle.

Can breakfast help lower cholesterol for seniors?

To find out if cereal can really help, it’s important to explore more about cholesterol and the body.

Hailey Szymanski, a dietitian at SKLD Muskegon in Michigan offers a few tricks for lowering cholesterol.

Jeremy Kinman, RD, LD of SKLD New Lexington in Ohio says, “The largest store of cholesterol in the body is actually in the gallbladder - it's bile! That is why many cholesterol-lowering medications act by binding bile salts to facilitate their removal from the body.”

Jeremy says, “The main way you can do this yourself is by increasing your intake of soluble fibers by eating more whole grains. Starting off your day with a whole-grain cereal such as oatmeal or Cheerios will help to lower your cholesterol levels.”

Looks like breakfast is the meal of champions after all.

But it doesn't end at breakfast either. Changing to whole grain breads and pastas instead of white bread or pastas will also help to lower your cholesterol.

In the past, it was believed that foods that are high in cholesterol (such as shrimp and egg yolks) increase blood cholesterol levels. Jeremy says, “Research has found that this is not the case. Dietary cholesterol does not increase blood cholesterol levels.”

He continues, “However, foods high in saturated fat have been shown to contribute to blood cholesterol levels. Substituting foods lower in saturated fat (i.e. turkey bacon instead of regular bacon and skim milk instead of whole milk) will help to combat this issue. Substituting unsaturated cooking fats for saturated cooking fats also helps (i.e. sunflower oil or olive oil).”

Simple steps to take that can lower cholesterol in seniors

At SKLD, the dietitians primarily work with the residents on preventing weight loss and keeping them hydrated. Dietitian Matthew LaPointe of SKLD Zeeland in Michigan says, “I would say those are the two most important things we focus on in our buildings. We look for different ways to add calories to meals, such as using supplements and offering different times during the day to eat.”

Here are Matthew’s tips to help lower cholesterol while maintaining a healthy weight:

Eating foods high in soluble fiber

Soluble fiber is found in large quantities in beans, legumes, whole grains, flax, apples and citrus.

Humans lack the proper enzymes to break down soluble fiber, so it moves through your digestive tract, absorbing water and forming a thick paste.

As it travels, soluble fiber absorbs bile, a substance produced by your liver to help digest fats. Eventually, both the fiber and attached bile leave the body. Bile is made from cholesterol, so when your liver needs to make more bile, it pulls cholesterol out of your bloodstream, which lowers cholesterol levels naturally.

Regular soluble fiber consumption is associated with a 5–10% reduction in both total cholesterol and “bad” LDL cholesterol in as little as four weeks.

Matthew recommends eating at least 5-10 grams of soluble fiber each day for the maximum cholesterol-lowering effects, but benefits have been seen at even lower intakes of three grams per day.

Eat lots of fruits and vegetables

Eating fruits and vegetables is an easy way to lower LDL cholesterol levels. Studies show that adults who consume at least four servings of fruits and vegetables each day have roughly 6 percent lower LDL cholesterol levels than people who eat fewer than two servings per day.

Fruits and vegetables also contain high numbers of antioxidants, which prevent LDL cholesterol from oxidizing and forming plaques in your arteries.

Together, these cholesterol-lowering and antioxidant effects can reduce your risk of heart disease. Research has found that people who eat the most fruits and vegetables have a 17% lower risk of developing heart disease over 10 years compared to those who eat the fewest.

Hailey Szymanski, a dietitian at SKLD Muskegon in Michigan offers a few more tricks for lowering cholesterol:

Choose lean protein and low-fat dairy foods to reduce saturated fat intake

Saturated fat is usually found in animal-based protein and is the biggest contributor to raised LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels. Focus on consuming no more than seven percent of your total calories each day from saturated fat.

Limit refined carbohydrates

Refined carbohydrates are foods with higher amounts of simple sugars, such as table sugar, sweets, and sweetened beverages, which can raise triglyceride levels and lean to cardiovascular diseases.

Participate in physical activity

Discuss with your doctor about what types of physical activity are best for you and then set a plan to incorporate up to 30 minutes of physical activity most days of the week. Katie Inman, RD, a dietitian at SKLD Wyoming in Michigan says, “Exercise such as walking can be beneficial to lowering cholesterol as well.”

Healthy habits like eating whole grain foods and building some movement into your day can be good for lowering cholesterol and for overall health as well.

Learn more about our skilled nursing facilities throughout Michigan and Ohio here.

Helping seniors maintain a healthy cholesterol level