They are included in margarine-like spreads such as Benecol and Take Control. They are also available in gel capsules. Studies show plant esters can help lower cholesterol by 10 to 14 percent. Herbs Those fighting Dracula with garlic were on to something. Garlic can be useful for helping to decrease cholesterol levels by 10 to 15 percent.
Raw garlic is especially helpful.
If eating raw garlic daily does not sound appealing, there are capsules available. This means it contains a certain amount of the cholesterol-fighting ingredient in garlic. It should also be enteric-coated to protect the active ingredients from being broken down too soon by stomach acids. Guggulipid is an herb that comes from a tree sap in India. It lowers LDL levels by increasing their elimination in the liver.