If you’ve been diagnosed with high cholesterol, have a family history of heart disease, or want to lower your risk in the future, the Mediterranean diet offers an evidence-based solution!
Is the Mediterranean Diet Heart Healthy?
Despite the name, the Mediterranean Diet isn’t a diet like others you may be used to — it’s a lifestyle! This lifestyle is characterized by eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, along with healthy fats such as those found in olive oil and nuts. It also includes moderate consumption of seafood and low-fat dairy and limiting meat and alcohol consumption.
This History of the Eating Pattern and Heart Health
The Mediterranean Diet is practiced by over 20 countries in the Mediterranean region, but first drew the attention of researchers and medical professionals when they noticed that people in these countries had a lower incidence of heart disease than others. Since then, many other studies have shown the heart-healthy benefits of the Mediterranean Diet.
In fact, it’s been shown to support heart health so comprehensively that some researchers at the AHA say it is very close to being the ideal or best practice for maintaining heart health as the gold standard for heart-healthy diets!
What Diet is Best to Lower Cholesterol?
To prevent or manage high cholesterol, organizations like the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Heart Association (AHA) recommend the following:
- Limit saturated fat found in foods like fatty meat, cheeses, and full-fat dairy. Saturated fat is also found in tropical oils like palm and coconut oil.
- Limit sodium, added sugars, and trans-fats. Typically, foods that contain these ingredients are from restaurants or packaged goods. It is easier to control how much sodium, sugar, and fat goes into your food when they’re homemade.
- Choose foods naturally high in fiber like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. High-fiber foods can help reduce levels of unhelpful LDL cholesterol while increasing levels of helpful HDL cholesterol.
- Limit alcohol, which can raise cholesterol levels. Current recommendations are that everyone should consider drinking less or not drinking. If you choose to drink, men should have two drinks or less in a day, and women should have one drink or less in a day.
- Stop smoking, since it causes damage to blood vessels and can speed up heart disease.
- Exercise regularly because physical activity can help reduce your cholesterol and blood pressure.
All the focus on foods to limit and behaviors to stop can feel discouraging when you’re trying to improve your health. Luckily, the Mediterranean Diet is one way to reframe these recommendations in a more positive light!
Can The Mediterranean Diet Lower Cholesterol?
As we discussed above, the Mediterranean Diet emphasizes certain ingredients and lifestyle choices that fit right into current recommendations to reduce cholesterol. Here’s how these ingredients fit into the recommendations for improving cholesterol:
- Limit saturated fat by prioritizing fish, seafood, low-fat dairy, and lean protein. Choose more heart-healthy unsaturated fats like olive oil, avocado, nuts, and seeds.
- Limit sodium, added sugars, and trans fats by emphasizing whole foods and fresh, seasonal ingredients that don’t need to be packaged or preserved. Limit processed meats and sweets.
- Choose foods naturally high in fiber by eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.
- Limit alcohol by choosing water as your primary beverage and only consuming small quantities of wine with occasional meals.
- Exercise regularly. Because the Mediterranean diet is a lifestyle, regular physical activity is a key part of the recommendations for a healthy life.
The Mediterranean Diet isn’t a quick fix, so sticking to it consistently is key. Long-term, consistent adherence to the Mediterranean diet is the best way to see positive results.
What I’ve Seen With My Clients
At 50 years old, adopting the Mediterranean diet led to a remarkable transformation—reducing LDL cholesterol by 20% in just six months. A powerful example of how small, sustainable changes can make a big impact on health.
“I’ve been following the Mediterranean Diet for the past 6 months and I love it. I have lowered my cholesterol, blood glucose, inflammation and weight.”
I worked with a retired couple who transformed their health by incorporating more plant-based meals and fish into their routine. Not only did they lower their blood pressure and LDL cholesterol, but they also discovered a newfound joy in cooking and planning meals together—making heart-healthy eating both delicious and rewarding.
“I don’t even feel like going to a restaurant anymore. Now we can make good food at home — and it’s so much cheaper!”
Using the Mediterranean Diet to Lower Cholesterol: Recipe Ideas
The best way to make a lifestyle sustainable is to choose recipes and diet swaps that fit into your day-to-day routine. Here are a few recipes that include healthy ingredients from the Mediterranean Diet for high cholesterol.
1. Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pesto Pasta
Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Pesto Pasta
Filled with cholesterol-reducing ingredients from the Mediterranean diet, this recipe is an easy and healthy choice. Chicken is a lean protein that’s low in saturated fat, and pesto is filled with healthy fats from olive oil and pine nuts. This recipe is also naturally high in fiber thanks to the legume-based pasta and arugula used for the base.
2. Sizzling Salmon and Spinach Salad
Sizzling Salmon and Spinach Salad
Another great recipe featuring Mediterranean diet cholesterol-reducing ingredients! Salmon is a source of healthy fat and lean protein, and the salad has many fiber-rich vegetables. As an added bonus, most of the flavor in this dish comes from low-sodium ingredients like garlic, herbs, and low-sodium soy sauce, making this recipe low-sodium, low sugar, and low in saturated fat.
3. Healthy Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Healthy Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake
You don’t have to give up everything sweet to reduce your added sugar! This recipe reduces the added sugars by including other naturally sweet foods like apples. It also includes a healthy serving of high-fiber whole grain in whole-wheat flour and oatmeal. Substituting plain Greek yogurt for sour cream reduces the saturated fat in this recipe, and you get a serving of healthy fat from the pecans!
Looking for More?
If you want to learn more about the health benefits of the Mediterranean Diet and how it can fit into your lifestyle, start here! If you are interested in more individualized support on your health journey, we offer additional resources such as our online course and membership.
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