4. Oats and Barley
Refined grains are bad for your cholesterol levels and waistline. Instead of eating white flour products, go for whole grains in bread, pasta and for breakfast. The research is extensive and conclusive. Three servings a day of whole grains lead to a 20% reduced risk of heart disease. The more whole grain servings you eat a day, the better.
A bowl of oatmeal, without the butter and maple syrup, may lower LDL cholesterol by 7%. Barley has much the same properties.