If your cholesterol numbers are high, you can blame your genes — and perhaps a diet of eating too many higher fat animal products. Many of our bodies make more than enough cholesterol. When we eat foods high in cholesterol — foods from an animal — it's easy to boost our cholesterol levels. But what we choose to eat can also lower our cholesterol and improve the amount of fats floating through our bloodstream.

To do that, we need to add foods that lower LDL, the harmful cholesterol-carrying particle that contributes to artery-clogging atherosclerosis. And at the same time, we need to cut back on foods that boost LDL.

Different foods lower cholesterol in various ways, according to the Harvard Health Letter. Some deliver soluble fiber, which binds cholesterol and its precursors in the digestive system and drags them out of the body before they get into circulation. Some give you polyunsaturated fats, which directly lower LDL. And some contain plant sterols and stanols, which block the body from absorbing cholesterol.

The bottom line is replacing saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats, eating a predominantly plant-based diet and incorporating healthful lifestyle practices such as regular physical activity, stress management, quality sleep and refraining from smoking are the best paths to take to promote optimal cardiovascular health.

Here are 10 foods to add to your diet to help lower cholesterol.

1. Oats. An easy first step to improving your cholesterol is having a bowl of oatmeal or cold oat-based cereal like Cheerios for breakfast. It gives you 1 to 2 grams of soluble fiber. Add a banana or some strawberries for another half-gram. Current nutrition guidelines recommend getting 20 to 35 grams of fiber a day, with at least 5 to 10 grams coming from soluble fiber. (The average American gets about half that amount.)

2. Barley and other whole grains. Like oats and oat bran, barley and other whole grains can help lower the risk of heart disease, mainly via the soluble fiber they deliver.

3. Beans. Beans are especially rich in soluble fiber. They also take time for the body to digest, meaning you feel full for longer after a meal. That's one reason beans are a useful food if you're trying to lose weight.

4. Avocados. According to a new meta-analysis of 10 studies with 229 participants, substituting avocados in place of saturated fat may result in beneficial effects on the lipid profile. Swapping in avocados for saturated fat resulted in a significant reduction of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

5. Nuts. Several studies show that eating almonds, walnuts, peanuts and other nuts are good for the heart. Eating 2 ounces of nuts a day can slightly lower LDL by 5 percent. And nuts have additional nutrients that protect the heart in other ways.

6. Vegetable oils. Using liquid vegetable oils such as canola, sunflower, safflower, and olive in place of butter, lard, or shortening when cooking or at the table helps lower LDL.

7. Apples, grapes, strawberries, citrus fruits. These fruits are rich in pectin, a type of soluble fiber that lowers LDL.

8. Foods fortified with sterols and stanols. Sterols and stanols extracted from plants gum up the body's ability to absorb cholesterol from food. Companies are adding them to foods ranging from margarine and granola bars to orange juice and chocolate. They're also available as supplements. Studies show that getting 2 grams of plant sterols or stanols a day can lower LDL cholesterol by about 10 percent.

9. Soy. Eating soybeans and foods made from them, like tofu and soy milk, was once touted as a powerful way to lower cholesterol. Analyses show that the effect is more modest — consuming 25 grams of soy protein a day (10 ounces of tofu or 2 1/2 cups of soy milk) can lower LDL by 5 to 6 percent.

10. Fatty fish. Eating fish two or three times a week can lower LDL in two ways: by replacing meat, which has LDL-boosting saturated fats, and by delivering LDL-lowering omega-3 fats. Omega-3s reduce triglycerides in the bloodstream and also protect the heart by helping prevent the onset of abnormal heart rhythms.

Q and A

Q: Should I switch my sweetener to agave?

A: Agave nectar or syrup is a sweetener produced by cactus-like agave plants, including Agave tequilana, from which tequila is derived. Agave has been billed as a healthier alternative to other sweeteners because of its lower glycemic index. It is popular in health food circles and is commonly found in baked goods that are produced "without sugar." Agave syrup is slightly sweeter than honey and about 1.5 times sweeter than sugar. While agave is relatively new to a lot of consumers, it has a long history of use in Mexico. Agave rose to prominence in the U.S. alongside the backlash on refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup. However, agave syrup has a very high fructose concentration, which many not spike blood glucose levels immediately, but could have a deleterious impact on insulin sensitivity in the long term. However, it's important not to lose sight of the big picture: No sweetener - even agave — should ever be considered health-promoting, as overall diet pattern is most important. Added sweeteners, no matter their origin, should be limited in healthy diets. — Environmental Nutrition, August, 2016.

RECIPE

Here's recipe for a Thai Steak Salad that is full of veggies and flavor. It's from Cooking Light magazine.

Thai Steak Salad

Cooking spray

1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak, trimmed

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

1 teaspoon Sriracha

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage

1 1/4 cups fresh bean sprouts

3/4 cup julienne-cut carrots

1/3 cup fresh mint leaves

1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1/3 cup fresh basil leaves

Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle steak evenly with pepper and salt. Add steak to pan; cook 6 minutes each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove steak from pan; let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Combine juice and next 5 ingredients (through Sriracha) in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Combine cabbage and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Add 6 tablespoons juice mixture to cabbage mixture; toss well. Toss steak in remaining 2 tablespoons juice mixture. Add steak to cabbage mixture; toss to combine. Serves 6 (serving size: 3 ounces steak and 2/3 cup salad).

Per serving: 198 calories, 26.3 g protein, 8.4 g carbohydrate, 6.5 g fat, 37 mg cholesterol, 1.5 g fiber, 498 mg sodium.

Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian at Hy-Vee in Springfield, Ill., and the media representative for the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For comments or questions, contact her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @Nutrition Rd. To find out more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: julie corsi