Adding a few key foods to your menu could help control your cholesterol.

A diet that incorporates soy-based foods, almonds, soluble fiber-rich grains and veggies, and plant sterols from cholesterol-lowering margarines could significantly lower unhealthy LDL cholesterol within weeks, a recent study suggests. Keep single servings of soy drinks, almonds, and bran cereal on hand to make cholesterol-lowering snacking easier.

Plant sterols are compounds found in small quantities in the cell membranes of certain fruits, vegetables, and grains. Cholesterol-lowering margarines and salad dressings often contain concentrated plant sterols. These products may help reduce cholesterol levels when used consistently. Too much cholesterol in the blood, particularly LDL cholesterol, is bad for your heart and brain. It attaches to the interior of artery walls and forms arterial plaques that narrow blood vessels and restrict blood flow to the heart and brain. A recent study determined that eating certain foods may help people with high LDL cholesterol lower their levels by as much as 30 percent. The cholesterol-lowering diet in the study consisted of specified daily amounts of soy protein, plant sterol-fortified margarines and spreads, almonds, and soluble fiber from oats, psyllium seeds, okra, and eggplant. If you have high LDL, follow your healthcare provider's instructions regarding diet and exercise and take cholesterol-lowering medication as prescribed.