This Is How Much Fiber You Need To Eat A Day To Lower Cholesterol

If you take a walk down the cereal aisle, you'll see lots of bran- or oat-based cereal adorned with a heart-healthy label and big letters claiming it can help lower cholesterol. That's because they contain a certain amount of fiber in each serving, and eating more fiber is one of the most effective, science-backed ways to lower cholesterol and improve your overall heart health. 

Currently, less than 5% of Americans1 are getting the recommended amounts of fiber daily (25-38 grams), and 86 million U.S. adults have borderline-high to high cholesterol levels (total cholesterol over 200 mg/hdL). So most of us can use more fiber in our lives. 

Fiber is a unique complex carbohydrate that the body is not able to digest. Therefore, it passes through the digestive tract relatively unscathed. 

In general, you should aim to reach 25 to 38 grams of total fiber intake—most adults are currently averaging about 16 grams a day5. 

But to significantly lower your cholesterol levels, you want to specifically focus on soluble fiber intake. 

Research shows that regular consumption of soluble fiber is associated with a 5–10% reduction6 in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels.

If you are looking for more targeted support, fiber supplements can be a smart and easy choice to up your intake. 

Psyllium husk, guar beans, inulin, and beta-glucans are all types of soluble fiber commonly found in supplements, and all of them have clinical studies showing they can help lower cholesterol levels and maintain healthy levels.*

In fact, a 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis found that each 5-gram intake of soluble fiber could help reduce LDL cholesterol by up to 5.6% and total cholesterol by up to 3.2%13.* 

So, yes, fiber supplements are a great way to help manage cholesterol levels.* 

mindbodygreen's organic fiber+ with prebiotic support is a unique option that provides 6 grams of fiber (as a completely flavorless powder) in each scoop. This fiber comes primarily from guar beans (in addition to green kiwifruit and mushrooms) that help tackle undesirable cholesterol levels14 as well as diversifying the gut microbiome, supporting short-chain fatty acid production, and keeping your bathroom schedule regular.* 

Eating more soluble fiber is one of the best things you can do for your cholesterol. Specifically, aiming for up to 10 grams of soluble fiber a day (and even leaning on a high-quality supplement for support) can help decrease stubbornly high LDL and total cholesterol.*