Fight Cholesterol!

Cholesterol is a bad thing for your body. Nevertheless, your body also need it for the balance of metabolism. Cholesterol produced by your heart and by the food you ingest. It is better to fight overloaded cholesterol with the food you ate.

According to the American Heart Association, "You can reduce cholesterol in your blood by eating healthful foods, losing weight if you need to and exercising." What follows is a listing of the most potent foods to add to your diet if you want to fight high cholesterol and drive your levels down using your diet as a primary tool.

Try to incorporate more of these foods into your daily diet:

1. Almonds

Studies have found that eating just a quarter cup of almonds a day can lower your LDL by 4.4 percent, according to dietitian Leslie Bonci, who is also the director of sports nutrition at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “Eating nuts, especially almonds, which are high in good-for-you monounsaturated fat, is better than simply eating a low-fat snack like pretzels,” says Bonci. Of course, they can also be high in calories, so stick with a small serving and choose almonds that are dry roasted without oil.

2. Blueberries

Researchers with the U.S. Department of Agriculture have identified an antioxidant in blueberries called pterostilbene (it's similar to resveratrol, the antioxidant found in grapes and red wine). This compound has effectively lowered cholesterol levels in animal studies.

3. Salmon

This fish is a particularly good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to lower LDL cholesterol while raising the good (HDL) kind.