This information is provided as part of the Clinician’s Lifestyle Modification Toolbox courtesy of the National Lipid Association.
Eating Foods Rich in Soluble Fiber is Easy
For example, to eat at least 10 grams of soluble fiber in a day, try:
Breakfast with 1 cup cooked oatmeal with berries and 2 tbsp ground flax (3 grams)
Lunch with 1 cup chili made with beans and a pear for dessert (4 grams)
Snack with ½ cup raw carrots and ¼ cup hummus (2 grams)
Dinner that has 1 cup of steamed cabbage, broccoli, carrots and/or green beans (2 grams)
Once you get started, you’ll see that eating foods high in soluble fiber is a delicious way to lower your LDL-C.
A natural fiber supplement like psyllium, a plant seed powder, can also be taken. Start with a small dose mixed
with water then slowly increase the dose, taking as directed. Drink extra water as you increase your daily fiber
intake. Fluid needs vary, but 9 to 12 cups of fluid a day are recommended for most healthy people.
Adding Soluble Fiber to Lower Your Cholesterol
Advice from the National Lipid Association Clinician’s Lifestyle Modification Toolbox
What is Dietary Soluble Fiber?
Whole grains with 1 to
2 grams of soluble fiber
in just ½ cup are cooked
barley, oatmeal, oat
bran, and quinoa.
Soluble fiber is a type of fiber found in plant foods. Because it is not absorbed in the intestine,
soluble fiber can bind cholesterol in the intestine and remove it from the body. Eating 5 to 10
grams of soluble fiber a day can help lower total and LDL-cholesterol by 5 to 11 points, and
sometimes more. To eat at least 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber a day, choose many foods with 1 to
Foods High in Soluble Fiber
Vegetables with 1 or more
grams of soluble fiber per ½
cup cooked or 1 cup raw are
broccoli, Brussels sprouts,
cabbage, carrots, green
beans, okra, onions,
parsnips, and turnips.
Fruits with 1 or more grams of
soluble fiber are a medium apple,
banana, guava, orange, peach, or
pear; 2 apricots or plums; ½ mango;
¼ cup figs or dried apricots or 3
prunes; and 1 cup of raspberries,
blackberries, or strawberries.
Lean protein foods with
1 to 3 grams of soluble fiber
per ½ cup include beans, like
black-eyed peas; chick peas;
and black, kidney, lima,
navy, pinto, and soy beans.
A registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) can help you make a heart-healthy meal plan that works best for your
lifestyle and support you in your nutrition journey. Talk with an RDN for the answers to your nutrition questions.
Healthy fats with 1 or more grams
of soluble fiber are 2 tbsp avocado, 1
tbsp whole chia seeds, and 2 tbsp
ground flax seeds.
Starchy vegetables like
sweet potatoes and green
peas have 1 gram or more
soluble fiber in ½ cup.