Soy foods help your heart by slashing the amount of saturated fat that you eat. Not only that, but beneficial compounds found in soy, known as isoflavones, work to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol. Not familiar with soy foods? They basically include tofu, soy milk, soy nuts, and soy flour. An easy way to incorporate them into your diet is to use them as a substitute for meat and cheese in recipes, to reduce saturated fat.

Turns out that an apple a day really does keep the doctor away! This special fruit is rich in both pectin and fiber, along with a list of powerful antioxidants, including quercetin, phloridzin and chlorogenci acid, which help lower bad cholesterol while rising the good kind. There are so many kinds of apples out there to try -- Granny Smith, Red delicious, Gala, and McIntosh just to name a few. Add a few slices to your oatmeal or have one for an afternoon snack.

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Avocado:

Avocados are a perfect source of heart-healthy mono saturated fat. This type of fat is helpful because it may help raise levels of HDL (good cholesterol) while lowering levels of LDL (bad cholesterol). It also offers beta-sitosterol, which is a plant based fat that reduces the amount of cholesterol absorbed from food. Nevertheless, they are on the higher calorie side, so we would recommend using them in place of sour cream or other high-fat foods or condiments.