Foods That Lower Cholesterol Naturally | Dr. Neal Barnard Live Q&A 

I switched to plant-based diet one month ago I Lowered my Triglycerides cholesterol From 392 to 144 My doctor could not believe it I stopped taking my meds I am working out four times per week and keep eating plant-based diet I already lost 20 pounds and I feel great thank you so much for this channel🙏

My name is Kim I am 76 yer old I am from Korea I have cholesterol in, 350 in my 35 , take med . I lessen you Exam room with you , sitar eating plans base in 6mo a go dr test my cholesterol was 165 thank you very much.

Thank you dr Barnard ! After 3 moth of plant food diet , my colesterol s down ; from 240 to 187 in 3 mo ; thank you God Bless You

Dr. Barnard is a winner. Wish I could find a physician like him ! He would probably enjoy having me for a pt. as I have been Vegan for 22 years ! That move was absolutely the best thing I ever did for my health.

I donate blood pretty much every 70 days....I have "good veins" and it's easy IN and out for the technicians...plus I can call and get my Total Cholesterol number a few days later...this is a blood center at my local hospital NCH here in Naples, FL....when I called to get my TC number last time it was 130.....the technician on the phone said "ok, how did you DO that?" I gladly told her that I'm plant based!

I just had my cholesterol test just this week I went from 7.8 to 4.8 in 6 months I started plant based diet about 2 months ago I feel a lot better no meat no eggs no cheese no dairy no oil I agree with Dr.Barnard 💯 . Very informative.

I’m 68 & went to a 100% whole food plant based diet two weeks ago. I have been trying off & on for a long time. But I’m strict now due to high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I’m interested to see my test results in 3 months, so is my Doctor. I’m so grateful for this channel, thank you Chuck Carroll and Dr Barnard.

All this information out there is just too confusing eat eggs don’t eat eggs and it just goes on and on and on!

yes amen lord... im Rose from Philippines... im suffering from high blood pressure and cholesterol levels... thanks for sharing... advice and guidance on us... in Jesus name amen lord.. thanks God's grace and mercy for having this message...

Almost all foods are not good to eat . What food should we eat? You said coconut milk is also not good.But, the other doctor told that coconut oil is good . I'm so confuse.

Let's chat about how ongoing intense stress affects cholesterol and lack of exercise due to physical injury

Dr Barnard is a great doctor He is honest in his Opinions

Thank you for your show and sharing so many stories! I pray God continues to move you to help others🥰

Watching this late night 3/16. One chat user Karunamyii Holistic was especially rude and annoying. I appreciated Dr Neal's advice and his take on the research that's being done. Many of us trust him to staying on top of the research.

I'm over 65 and my cholesterol has gone down on a plant based diet. My arthritis went away, I lost lots of weight, my skin looks great. And I feel great. Dr. Barnard was one of my first inspirations to go plant-based. Thanks for your work! Also - Dr. Barnard is 70 and looks terrific!

I eat plant base. Me from 62 kilo to 47 kilo, I so thin, my children,said I looks wrinkle everywhere but I have good energetic I don't want to give up, from Singapore, alot of thanks, sincerely 😊

My cholesterol went from 173 to 130, ldl from 113 to 80, triglycerides 65 to 48 and blood pressure went from being always in 140s to now in the 115-130 range 6 months into a plant based diet and two months only eating plants. Still eating processed vegan burgers once every three weeks in general.

I am 71 years,yesterday was informed my cholesterol level is 7.I am on simvastatin 20mg. daily.Would like to lower by diet only

Thank you Chuck and Dr. Neal. Appreciate y’all. Question: We don’t wanna do away with cholesterol entirely, do we? What about the good cholesterol HDL?

Very useful info. I was busy taking all sorts of notes. It was good to get answers on a wide range of foods as to whether they are really suitable or not. Keep up the good work of informing and educating people around the world. I'm based in Australia and have been a fan of PCRM for years. The very name includes the key thing: responsible medicine. It's so important to counter all the misinformation being spread by ignorant consumers and vested interests who only want to protect and increase profits, not matter how much their products damage the health of consumers. So it's important to speak up against all the BS spread about food, mostly by people who want to protect the status quo. As recently as 400 years ago, most people believed the world was flat, and anyone saying otherwise risked being burned as a heretic. When Galileo Galilei tried to get certain people to have a look through his telescope, they refused to do that because they wanted to hang on to their false beliefs. To quote Galilei, "I wish that we might laugh at the remarkable stupidity of the common herd. What do you have to say about... [people] who... do not want to look at either the planets, the moon or the telescope, even though I have freely and deliberately offered them the opportunity a thousand times? Truly ...these philosophers shut their eyes to the light of truth." And so do opponents of a plant based diet continue to shut their eyes to the truth, because the truth threatens their world view and beliefs. But I believe that thanks to the work of researchers, PCRM and other pioneers, in another generation or two there will be a lot more acceptance of vegan diets. Just like people now accept that Galileo Galilei was right all along, because he actually LOOKED at the evidence, in his case the view through his telescope.

I reduced sugar and carbs It took three years of testing daily to reverse diabetes

I appreciate this channel, and this community. Thanks Chuck and Neal.

Benecol has milk in it along with palm oil... How can it be recommended to use??

Thank you for your input. I am confused though. The body makes 3,000 mg of cholesterol per day: how can one egg (186 mg) make any difference? In fact, say most RU-vid contributors, the benefit of eggs far outweighs any problem. You also say “go low on oils”. Surely you mean only vegetable cooking oils? Olive oil is supposed to be something of a super food, included in the Mediterranean diet which results in very low rates of heart disease.

After 28 months on WFPBSOS (30 gr fat - ground flaxseed, a brazil nut, walnuts occasionally) my TC went from over 220 to 195, LDL from over 140 to 115, but TG from below 100 to 170. My weight down from 68 kg to 59 kg, 170 cm. My HbA1c down from 5.8% to 5.1%. But most importantly my BP went down from 140/90 to 105/70 which is the reason I changed diet. It took 18 months to stop BP pills and get to 110/70. I was low carb Paelo-ish OMAD for about 10 years before that. Lipids just will not go down further. Initially they went down more but then bounced back albeit to a lower level. More or less 10 points down for every 100 mgr of diet cholesterol. Are their studies about the effect of various levels of cholesterol on WFPBSOS diet, in the absence of animal foods and fats? Dr Klaper mentioned sometthing about this when discussing complaints of strict long term WFPBSOS dieters having theit TC stuck around 200. Relatively higher cholesterol but less inflammatory conditions.

how do you unclog the arteries? how do you get rid of narrowing of the arteries?

Wonderful information about health. I’m also have a high cholesterol .it’s my first time I came across with this channel. So , I’ve watch the whole video. Amazing ! Thank you Doc.

My husband had a mini stroke and we had a neurologist suggest the Forks over knives SOS FREE, Vegan life style. In 4 weeks all of his numbers dropped dramatically! Cholesterol went from 207 to 77!!! With 17 LDL 😮🎉😅 WE SIGHED IN FOR THREE MONTHS - WE HAVE NO PLANS TO STOP-EVER!!!!

a c reactive protein test for inflammation is what is needed. That is what causes cholesterol to collect in the arteries. cholesterol is not the problem. An diet that lowers inflammation is what is needed.

Do we have any large scale double blind studies that prove that cholesterol causes heart attacks? My understanding is that half of the people who have heart attacks also have normal cholesterol. Which means that something else must be the cause. Like inflammation? And what about the increased risk of dementia in people who take statins? Lower cholesterol=increased risk of dementia.

I am so conflicted about oils. I am seeing studies quoted in Life Extension magazine about the health benefits of walnuts and fish. Yet Dr Esselstyn says no, those oils also can clog our arteries. What to believe? How can I know what's true?

I’m 76…I was maybe 42 when blood test showed high cholesterol 242…took statins for about 4 years decided to stop and change the way I was eating got so many mixed message…I think what saved me was I did intense walking my weight was good and I didn’t smoke…about 20 years ago ❓ I stopped eating animals not fish …my cholesterol would go up and down 242 to 224…got a special BT for cholesterol showing the breakdown HDL,LDL,TRIGLYCERIDES and cholesterol size turns out I have large cholesterol 12 years ago I stopped all dairy cholesterol still fluctuate still not taking statins …4 years ago I choose to eat vegan/plant base…present day my cholesterol 214 LDL still 10 over…I’m sure my cholesterol is genetic…so grateful for doctor Barnard what I’m taking away from this is the man who changed his diet to vegan and still couldn’t bring down cholesterol but good news his heart condition was reversed 🙏🏻❤️I’ve never had heart issues but my father and all the men in the family died f heart disease and one of my brothers has heart disease…I’m not giving up that one of these BT will show my LDL at 100 …I would like dr Barnard to talk about cholesterol size… Oh I put Benecol on my shopping list…

Thank you for the health information in your episode. Looking forward to hear from you again...

Thank you for focusing on lowering Cholesterol. For years I have tried eating better and exercising only to go to my doctor to discover my C is higher. Now I am going to try what you expressed in the video....I pray it goes down. The C medication causes leg cramps and weight gain for me, who wants that. Thanks again! 😊

Thanks to both of you very informative Vid.Dr. Bernard you are such a great Doctor ♥️👏👏

Great informative video. I have recently switched from animal food to plant based due to high cholesterol and blood pressure. I feel light like a feather and will get it checked in couple of months. However I have one question. Can whey protein be taken daily? I take one scoop with oats in the morning.

I would recommend to listen to the video about cholesterol by Eckberg. It's not the cholesterol that matters but the ratio with triglycerides and HDL. You get those down by going keto and low carbs. That's how I reversed insulin resistance.

I was doing the carnivore diet for the last 4 months and my cholesterol went from 200 to 608. My LDL is now at 473. I think I'm living proof that eating cholesterol raises cholesterol. Time to go back to eating my veggies again and get this cholesterol under control. Its crazy that in the carnivore community everyone says this is fine. I just wish everything wasn't so contradicting. It's so confusing but it's clear to me a high fat keto/carnivore diet isn't for me. What are your thoughts about keto and carnivore diets? It was nice not being hungry all the time like when I eat low fat but I don't feel good with my cholesterol this high.

I am confused. The doc is saying don't eat any oils, yet recommended 2 margarines that are filled with oil!

So confuse right now..Some Doctors say its good to eat 2eggs everyday , Doc. Eric Berg eats 4eggs a day and now those studies are being debunked 😥😥its hard to be healthy if you dont know which one to follow

I've been plant based for 3 years now and my ldl is still at 180. My doctor says it's "genetic/familial" and I need medication to reduce it because in my case, diet is not going to bring it down.

Great topic. WHOLE FOOD PLANT BASED has brought my CHOLESTEROL down. I used to use STATIN DRUGS but I stopped them and went Plant Based instead. I used to be OBESE and my diet was horrible, I drank a lot of beer almost every day, etc. I recommend PLANT BASED FOR A MONTH then go from there. 🤷‍♂️

Another very informative episode. Thank you Chuck, Dr Barnard and team.

I adopted a plant based diet and my lipid profile came out looking great. Except, my HDL also declined and my doctor asked me to go back to eating animal protein. I’m confused.

Thank you!!! I discovered your channel today, but I cannot stop watching doctor's Neal Barnard advice. I m sorry I wasn't online to ask him what to do when I have both bad and good cholesterol under the lowest level, and how to improve good cholesterol levels. Being christian orthodox I am fasting before Easter and trying for some time to give up diary, eggs and meat for good

With so many people on the Keto diet that are eating a lot of meats and eggs. Would their cholesterol levels be over the roof. My cholesterol is 318

Why won't my Dr do a full cholesterol panel test to see what size of particles I have because that plays a big roll. My cholesterol is 327 with ldl 230. No one ever treated me and I will not take statins. I'm 67 years old. I want the test

Wow, so informative. The world needs to watch this.

Insulin resistance is a far greater problem than high cholesterol, my cholesterol actually went down on my high fat diet, I cut out sugar and a lot of carbs but eat all meat bacon eggs and dairy every day, I'm lean and still work an active job at 68yo.

Awesome videos.. loads of information !! Thank you so much 🙏

I kept hearing Dr. Barnard saying coconut oil isn’t good, it must be the coconut oil in this country. I grew up in Jamaica West Indies and most people in the old days we greater the dry coconut and juice it and boil it we make our own oil and we never had a problem with cholesterol

I so appreciate all the information given by Dr. Barnard. He has so much information on this topic and puts it all together in a way that is both informative and well understood. Thank you for trying to save lives and getting the word out on a plant based diet and what foods are especially helpful like almonds and soy.

I'm not going to cut out animal product completely but I'd love to reduce it by a lot. I currently aim for the size of deck of cards. My biggest concern is kefir and the olive oil I consume.

Total Control margarine is not something anyone should be eating: Ingredients Water , Vegetable Oil Blend ( Canola Oil , Palm Oil , Palm Kernel Oil , Soybean Oil ) , Plant Sterol Esters , Whey ( Milk ) , Modified Corn Starch , Salt , Mono and Diglycerides , Soy Lecithin , Potassium Sorbate , Sodium Benzoate and Calcium Disodium EDTA ( Used to protect quality ) [ Potassium Sorbate ( Used to protect quality ) , Sodium Benzoate ( Used to protect quality ) and Calcium Disodium EDTA ( Used to protect quality ) ] , Lactic Acid , Vitamin E Acetate , Artificial Flavor , Vitamin A Palmitate , Beta Carotene ( Color ) , Cholecalciferol ( Vitamin D3 ) . To that, it uses oils that are genetically modified. Hello No GMO!

I did not eat eggs cheese minimal dairy (lactose intollerant) took statens every day... 15 years later 98% blocked artery in my heart. Why?

I'm slim 52 yrs old.My cholesterol is 240.I had to go back to eating red meat because my fertin was a 10.i since have increased feritin to 43.I have been eating eggs for months.i will stop eating eggs snd increase beans.im going to incorporate flax seed to my diet.Maybe garlic to my regiment.My doctor is suggesting statin .It's not going to happen.i will try my approach

Good info. I'll be getting rid of fats. I have one of those pans that Dr. Benard mentioned and it works well. I can 'fry' with water.

Wondering why Dr Barnard would recommend Benecol? It has milk in it.

This guy says eat Margarine! I'll take the Butter!

I am 52yrs i was recently told that my cholesterol is 209 my concern is i dont eat eggs i dont eat sugar alot maybe just alittle if any i dont drink juice so what elevated it i use olive oil

If you switched to plant based your blood cholesterol may be high do to the fat melting off your body and going int the blood stream.

One needs to read the ingredients in non dairy milks because many use oil and sugar to round out the taste and feel.

Exceptional evidence-based information as always, Chuck and Dr. Barnard. An idea for a podcast for you, Chuck. You are creative so I believe you could ‘dish’ this topic up in a way that creates attention and interest. As a clinician scientist who specializes in non-drug and non-surgical health care, my focus has been population based nutrition, I.e., vegan nutrition. PCRM has been an outstanding source; an organization that I promote globally. Perhaps most of your listeners are not as tuned into world health, however we as like minds need to lean on the World Health Organization (WHO). Being a baby boomer and now an academic in health care, I have had trust in our institutions. This past year, one voice (Italian Ambassador to the Assembly) in the WHO Assembly vetoed WHO’s advocacy of plant-based nutrition. This is truly a sacrilege and flies in the face of science and turning the tide on nutrition-related non-communicable diseases. Shortsightedly, he simply argued that closing down factory farming would reduce jobs and the Assembly went along with it. This is unacceptable. We need to take a stand. Please enable your following to lean on our national representatives to the WHO to voice our concerns. The WHO professes to value and be guided by ‘health for all’ yet it has lost its way and its initiatives appear more guided my vested interests than evidence. Professor-Elizabeth This breach of honesty

Sadly, I have to start a statin at 64 years old despite the fact I eat healthy and a good weight......... my non HDL Cholesterol is 235 and doctor's staff told me high risk of death in 10 years............ my son is a doctor and discussed all cholesterol problems with me and statins are fine to take and will improve my life expectancy (Crestor) Chol HDL ratio is 6.0 ---- HDL is 47 and son told me to get to cardiologist to have artery duplex ultrsound to check plaque as my cholesterol has been higher for years and I believe it is a combo of stress and genetics

Thank you for this life saving content. Really appreciate Dr Barnard and team.

I am a 67 year old female and just got cholesterol checked total is 327. Ldl 230. I refuse statins at my age. What alternatives are there? And my doctor will not do the particle test to see the size of the particles for me. Why?

Eggs DO raise the Bad cholesterol and triglycerides! I am 100% sure because that was the only animal product that I ate and my LDL and triglycerides went up!

I eat 4 eggs a day and I’m feeling far better than before. The problem for eating eggs and meat is if you eat it together with high carbs and with see oils...

I replaced oil with avacodo oil. That lowered my LDL , this happened in a month

Greetings! Thank you gentlemen for such helpful info. ☺

I blend raw garlic the whole bub and I add water and I put a whole lot of honey in it. And I drink it down through out the day. I drink this on an empty stomach.

Statin with joint pain, muscle pain, nose bleed. My cholesterol 290 and ldl 210 my doctor prescribed statin and I refuse to take. What to do

Soy, tofu is not for thyroid patients. Organic included.

I was told organic range eggs 🥚 was okay to eat.

I’m drinking atorvastatin is there any side effects because I’m taking amlodipine for blood pressure too.

My TC is 284; HDL 109, LDL 166. My triglycerides are 45. I really want to get my TC down. My last (August 2023) A1C tested at 5.7. I bought and read your book, Reversing Diabetes. I've been following your plant based diet recommendations, but I have a concern in that my last bone scan shows osteoporosis. I wonder if I need some animal protein for my bone health. I walk two miles every day and I lift weights 4 - 5 days a week, which I have done for years. I'm not overweight (125 lbs. - 5'5"). I'm really working to get the A1C down. I have not eaten any added sugars for several years. Age seems to exacerbate my scores.

What role does chronic inflammation play in cholesterol levels in the body? In other words, does chronic inflammation increase cholesterol levels in the body, if left unchecked? I think that probably increased cholesterol levels in my body over several years.

That’s sugar give you colesterol?

I take statin for Many years but since I change my diet I don’t take pravastatin anymore.My cholesterol is 130. Diet and exercise eating healthy is my medicine.

Just found your channel. I am 65 yes I was diagnosed with high cholesterol 2020 of July the doctor sent back to do a test in November, the result was great it went to normal.they put me on atoravastatin, but exercise more I ate no white bread,flour. Crackers ,eggs, slow down on bake stuff, sugar, sweets juice had more water, no dairy products , I ate chicken breast , no dry stuff. Do I have to continue taking meds?

As there is 20% cholesterol in the brain, I wouldn't go without it.

My husband has been vegan for 15 years, he is an athlete, thin and muscular. In his 60's. His diet is excellent - fresh organic plants and plant protein, low sugar. Blood pressure is excellent. He eats very little sugar and yet a few weeks ago he had a blood panel done and his cholesterol is 250 and LDL 160 both high. He's shocked. How would someone who is healthy and eats a plant-based diet have high cholesterol, and how to lower it?

I’m 4 days in taking Lipitor my cholesterol was 6.2 but I really don’t want to be taking statins as already after 4 days I’m feeling dizzy with blurred vision is it safe to just stop them I have already started a plant base diet also eating tin fish etc and walking fast most days for 45 mins I’m glad I watch your video today as I was eating eggs but will now stop

Is there not a certain ratio of 'good' cholesterol and 'bad cholesterol that matters?

Wonderful episode, thanks so much! Question: What are the effects of vaping cannabis oils, whether from cannabis flower or oil cartridges, on the body's endothelial cells? Dr. Esselstyn talks about how ingesting oil leads to blisters and plaques on artery walls; can vaping cannabis oils do the same thing, and perhaps even in bigger amounts?

Whatdoyusuggest eat, high cholesterol and a diabetic, high bp

With heart issues, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, being pre diabetic, overweight, is there any nutritionist who can design diet for all these above problems, thyroid low. There is a great confusion how to eat, right amounts for certain person, what is right amount? What product can be combine to have correct nutritional balance? To eat if you not hungry? Is there a way to have very comprehensive blood work and test telling what nutrients, minerals, vitamins you may need??

Can you please do a video on Dr Eric Berg’s RU-vid video recommending people eat 4 eggs a day! He has 6.4M followers.

Also why did you not mention coffee's effect on raising cholesterol? For people already eating low-fat, whole-plant-based, would the cholesterol-boosting effects of the coffee components cafestol and kawheol be a concern? I read that they raise serum cholesterol by 10%.

Good afternoon what kind off Quaker oats good for cholesterol I will to know thank you

What are the foods that you’re going to eat y

I eat keto and cholesterol and I’ve never felt better. My cholesterol came down as well. I eat keto animal fat and cheese fat and I eat truck loads of veggies, never felt better

Thank you for a great information My question about cholesterol, What do you think about " Red Yeast Rice " for lowering cholesterol?

Thank you Chuck and Dr Bernard for these information

My grand mother ate eggs , meat to the age of 115 before dying do what happened

Thank you. I especially appreciate the info on soy. I feel great eating soy and I know sometimes it gets a bad rap.

Doctor, doctor.... if what you suggest is true, how come that in two of the worlds "blue zones" (Sardinia, Italy, Ikaria, Greece) the population eats loads of dairy ( goat cheese etc) consumes a bottle of olive oil a week per person(!) And also: As a matter of fact in NONE of the blue zones the typical diet is strictly vegan: Still in the "blue zones" there is more people that live to be 100 years old in good health ...in spite of their "deadly" diet ...( or may I suggest: BECAUSE of their diet?) And if cholesterol levels are the one and only or at least one of the most important factors for heart disease, answer me this question, please: How come people in France who have the same high cholesterol levels as is typical for the US population (or even higher in places) -still they suffer significantly less strokes and heart attacks than in the US.. How come , if what you say is true? I NEVER HEAR answers about that from vegans. Never. And I won`t get an answer here either. That`s for sure.

What about oatmeal flaxseed?

Awesome info thanks so much have to share this video to family

I looked up the label for Benecol margarine and it shows that it contains Milk. Dr Barnard suggested that it helps reduce cholesterol. Is Dr Barnard recommending it even though it contains an animal product (Milk)?