If you’re living with high cholesterol, your doctor might advise you to refrain from certain foods. When it comes to snacks, most popular snacks like chips, fries, and cola are off the menu, but it doesn’t mean you cannot indulge your taste buds. All you need to do is snack healthy! Here are a few nutritionally-balanced snacks to help lower blood cholesterol and keep you healthy and fit.

1. Trail mix
This is one of the best snacks to help lower high cholesterol. You can easily make it at home by mixing nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. Walnuts, almonds, pistachios, raisins, sunflower seeds, and flax seeds are great additions to a trail mix, and these components are packed with HDL or good cholesterol. They also help lower LDL or bad cholesterol levels. Cashews have higher fat content, so they can be avoided. Also, ensure that you choose unsalted nuts because too much sodium can aggravate your cholesterol woes.

2. Vegetables
Vegetables are great sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, making them one of the best snacks to help lower high cholesterol. You can lightly stir-fry your favorite veggies in olive oil (another cholesterol-lowering food) and season them with herbs like thyme or rosemary. Alternatively, you can cut up vegetables like carrots and celery into sticks and serve them with homemade hummus.

3. Fruits
Just like vegetables, some fruits like berries, citrus fruits, and bananas are excellent sources of antioxidants and fiber. Avocados are especially rich in omega-3 fatty acids, so make guacamole at home and serve it with veggie sticks instead of nachos. Alternatively, you can make small servings of avocado toast with strips of whole-grain bread. You can also combine fruits with low-fat Greek yogurt to create smoothies, or just grab an apple or a few berries in between meals.

4. Oatmeal
Oats are packed with a compound called beta-glucan, which helps lower blood cholesterol levels. A bowl of oatmeal porridge or low-fat oatmeal pancakes makes for an excellent snack for managing high cholesterol. It’s also rich in fiber and helps soak up excess cholesterol in the bloodstream.

5. Homemade popcorn
Popcorn is among the best snacks to help lower high cholesterol, as it is rich in fiber. Skip the butter when making this snack at home, and use an air fryer or microwave for popping it. It’s also better not to add salt. Instead, you can add a dash of olive oil and sprinkle in some herbs for flavor. You can also throw in a little parmesan cheese.

Snacking isn’t always a bad thing, even if you have high cholesterol. That said, ensure that you opt for healthy recipes and stay away from packaged foods like potato chips, cakes, and cookies. High-fat and sodium foods, like canned soup, salted cashews, and high-calorie desserts, must also be cut out from the diet.