Eat More Soy

Protein-rich soybeans also have plant-based chemicals called isoflavones, which resemble estrogen in structure. According to research, soy protein and isoflavones have potent cholesterol-lowering properties and can lower your chance of developing heart disease.

Eating soy-based foods can be good for you because soy-based foods contain less saturated fat than meat does and also provide other beneficial nutrients, such as good fats (monounsaturated fats), vitamins, minerals and fiber. In fact, consuming soy on a daily basis for at least a month can raise "good" HDL cholesterol by 1.4 mg/dL and lower "bad" LDL cholesterol by about 4 mg/dL. In comparison to processed soy protein extracts or supplements, less processed soy products like soybeans or soy milk are most likely more effective at lowering cholesterol.