7-Day Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan for Lower Cholesterol

This 7-day meal plan maps out a week of anti-inflammatory recipes to help improve your cholesterol. It’s packed with antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, a variety of healthy fats, and fiber, which helps improve cholesterol and reduce inflammation. Whether you currently have high cholesterol, have been told your levels are high, or are looking to take active steps to protect your heart, this eating plan will work for most people. Check it out! your heart will thank you.

Why this meal plan is right for you

The anti-inflammatory diet is very similar to the popular Mediterranean diet. Both eating styles emphasize healthy fats from nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fish, and limit fried and ultra-processed foods and excessive added sugar. Research shows that an anti-inflammatory diet has many health benefits, including improved heart health. One study found that participants who followed an anti-inflammatory eating plan experienced fewer cardiac events than those who did not regularly eat anti-inflammatory foods. Researchers also found that people who consumed foods that can promote inflammation, such as refined grains and high-added sugar drinks, had higher rates of stroke, heart disease, and heart attacks.

Fiber plays an important role in lowering cholesterol, so I included more fiber-rich foods, including whole grains, legumes, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. You’ll get an average of 39 grams of fiber each day. To support healthy cholesterol, I limited my saturated fat intake to no more than 14 grams per day, with an upper limit of 20 grams on days that included fatty fish such as salmon and tuna. Although total protein intake does not have a strong relationship with cholesterol levels, we know that protein is a nutrient that many people prioritize. You can consume an average of 98 grams each day to keep you feeling full and energized.

This 1,800 calorie meal plan includes 1,500 and 2,000 calorie modifications to support people with different calorie needs. I used to include a 1,200 calorie meal plan and modifications, but now I don’t. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans state that limiting to 1,200 calories per day is too low to meet the nutritional needs of most people and is not sustainable for long-term health and well-being. suggests that it is not possible.

Day 1

Breakfast (396 calories)

Morning snack (205 calories)

• 1 (5.3 oz) container nonfat plain drained Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup raspberries
• 3 tablespoons sliced ​​almonds

Lunch (439 calories)

PM Snack (206 calories)

• 1/4 cup dry roasted unsalted almonds

Dinner (397 calories)

Evening snack (150 calories)

Meal preparation tips: Reserve 4 servings of Moroccan Chicken and Sweet Potato Soup for lunch from 2 to 5 days.

Daily total: 1,793 calories, 93g fat, 19g saturated fat, 95g protein, 160g carbohydrates, 42g fiber, 1,852mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Reduce to 1 tbsp. Switch to sliced ​​almonds for your morning snack, one plum for your afternoon snack, and cut down to one serving of dark chocolate cashew clusters for your evening snack.

Make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 tbsp. For lunch, I had an apple with natural peanut butter.

2nd day

Breakfast (398 calories)

Morning snack (200 calories)

• 1 medium apple
• 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter

Lunch (482 calories)

Afternoon snack (27 calories)

• 1/2 cup sliced ​​strawberries

Dinner (554 calories)

Evening snack (150 calories)

Daily total: 1,810 calories, 83g fat, 19g saturated fat, 100g protein, 179g carbohydrates, 35g fiber, 2,015mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Change your morning snack to one plum and omit your evening snack.

Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1/4 cup dry roasted unsalted almonds to PM snacks.

3rd day

Breakfast (398 calories)

Morning snack (131 calories)

Lunch (482 calories)

PM Snack (305 calories)

• 1 medium apple
• 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter

Dinner (423 calories)

Evening snack (62 calories)

Daily total: 1,800 calories, 67g fat, 13g saturated fat, 89g protein, 222g carbohydrates, 39g fiber, 1,975mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Change your mid-morning snack to one medium peach and omit the peanut butter for your afternoon snack.

Make it 2,000 calories: Add 1/4 cup dry roasted unsalted almonds to your AM snack.

Day 4

Breakfast (398 calories)

Morning snack (205 calories)

• 1 (5.3 oz) container nonfat plain drained Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup raspberries
• 3 tablespoons sliced ​​almonds

Lunch (482 calories)

Afternoon snack (95 calories)

Dinner (460 calories)

Evening snack (150 calories)

Daily total: 1,789 calories, 71g fat, 13g saturated fat, 104g protein, 199g carbohydrates, 38g fiber, 2,117mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Change your morning snack to one medium peach and skip the evening snack.

Make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 tbsp. Natural peanut butter for PM snacks.

Day 5

Breakfast (398 calories)

Morning snack (205 calories)

• 1 (5.3 oz) container nonfat plain drained Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup raspberries
• 3 tablespoons sliced ​​almonds

Lunch (482 calories)

Afternoon snack (95 calories)

Dinner (459 calories)

Evening snack (150 calories)

Daily total: 1,788 calories, 73g fat, 13g saturated fat, 93g protein, 207g carbohydrates, 36g fiber, 2,113mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Change your morning snack to one medium peach and skip the evening snack.

Make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 tbsp. Natural peanut butter for PM snacks.

Day 6

Breakfast (396 calories)

Morning snack (187 calories)

• 1 (5.3 oz) container nonfat plain drained Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup raspberries
• 2 tablespoons sliced ​​almonds

Lunch (424 calories)

PM Snack (105 calories)

Dinner (581 calories)

Evening snack (95 calories)

Daily total: 1,788 calories, 78g fat, 14g saturated fat, 105g protein, 181g carbohydrates, 42g fiber, 1,882mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Change your morning snack to 1 plum, your afternoon snack to 1/2 cup of blueberries, and your evening snack to 1/2 cup of sliced ​​strawberries.

Make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 tbsp. Natural peanut butter for PM snacks.

7th day

Breakfast (396 calories)

Morning snack (205 calories)

• 1 (5.3 oz) container nonfat plain drained Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup raspberries
• 3 tablespoons sliced ​​almonds

Lunch (448 calories)

Afternoon snack (206 calories)

• 1/4 cup dry roasted unsalted almonds

Dinner (433 calories)

Evening snack (95 calories)

Daily total: 1,782 calories, 88g fat, 14g saturated fat, 97g protein, 168g carbohydrates, 43g fiber, 1,738mg sodium.

Make it 1,500 calories: Omit the sliced ​​almonds for the AM snack and change the PM snack to 1 plum.

Make it 2,000 calories: Add one medium-sized orange for your afternoon snack and two dark chocolate cashew clusters for your evening snack.

How to meal prep for the week:

1. Make garlic hummus and eat it as a snack throughout the week.
2. Prepare Lemon Blueberry Overnight Oats for breakfast on days 2 through 5.

Notable anti-inflammatory foods:

• fruit
• vegetables
• Nuts (including natural nut butters)
• seed
• whole grain
• Fermented, unsweetened dairy products (yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese)
• beans
• lentils
• avocado
• olive oil
• fish
• herbs and spices

dietary fiber and cholesterol

Many people with high cholesterol have probably been told to eat more fiber. However, only 7% of U.S. adults meet their daily fiber goals. The recommended daily fiber intake is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. Fiber is found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Fiber helps lower cholesterol, so if you have high cholesterol, it’s important to prioritize fiber. Soluble fiber, found in foods such as oats, Brussels sprouts, and beans, forms a gel-like substance as it passes through your digestive tract. Soluble dietary fiber binds to fats and cholesterol in the blood and helps remove them from the body, improving cholesterol levels. This 7-day heart health plan provides an average of 39 grams of fiber per day to help improve your cholesterol.