Top Ten cholesterol-Fighting Foods

Here are the Top Ten cholesterol-Fighting Foods, according to the experts:

1. Soy. Use it as a replacement for meat and cheese to help your heart by slashing the amount of saturated fat that you eat. Tofu, soy nuts, soy flour, and enriched soymilk are recommended.

2. Beans. Except for your morning wheat bran, no food is more fiber-rich than beans. Eat a cup a day of kidney, navy, pinto, black, chickpea, or butter beans.

3. Salmon. It contains Omega-3 fatty acids which help lower 'bad' LDL cholesterol, raise 'good' HDL cholesterol, and lower triglycerides. Also found in white albacore tuna canned in water, rainbow trout, anchovies, herring, sardines, and mackerel.

4. Avocado. A great source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. They pack more of the cholesterol-smashing beta-sitosterol than any other fruit. Eat one a day!

5. Garlic. Lowers cholesterol, prevents blood clots, reduces blood pressure, and protects against infections, and helps stop artery-clogging plaque. Pick up a tub of freshly peeled cloves. Chop up and toss on everything. Aim for 4 cloves a day.

6. Spinach. 1/2 cup a day guards against blindness and heart attacks.

7. Margarines. Two are proven to help lower cholesterol: Take Control and Benecol. The only side effect is reduced beta-carotene absorption. so make sure you eat extra carrots, spinach, sweet red peppers or sweet potatoes.

8. Walnuts, Cashews, and Almonds. They also have vitamin E, magnesium, copper, and phytochemicals linked to heart health. Aim for 2 tablespoons five times a week.

9. Tea. Whether it's iced or hot, delivers a blast of antioxidant compounds. both green and black have higher antioxidants than a serving of fruit or vegetables. Drink at least a cup a day.

10. Chocolate. The dark or bittersweet kind. The flavonoid antioxidants keep blood platelets from sticking together. You can find it in Mars Dove bars.