Cholesterol meal plan, built on oats, beans and nuts.
The Portfolio diet pairs soluble fiber from oats and beans, nuts, soy and plant sterols with less saturated fat to lower LDL cholesterol. Here is a week at about 1,900 calories a day, plus what to buy. Alma can fit it to your goal.
Built from AHA, FDA and Portfolio diet research advice.
The rules
Three habits do most of the work
Soluble fiber at breakfast
Oats, oat bran and barley are rich in soluble fiber.
Beans or soy most days
Beans, lentils, tofu or edamame bring fiber and plant protein.
Less butter, more oil
Swap butter, cream and fatty meat for olive oil, fish and poultry.
Sample week
Seven days of cholesterol-friendly meals
About 1,810 to 2,010 calories a day. Scale portions to your needs. Find your number
If you take a statin or another medicine for cholesterol, keep taking it as prescribed and talk with your clinician before changing how you eat. Food supports the medicine, it does not replace it.
Day 1Monday
BreakfastOat bran porridge with blueberries1 cup cooked oat bran, 1 cup soy milk, 1 cup blueberries, 1 tbsp ground flax, 1 tbsp sliced almonds
LunchBarley and black bean salad1 cup cooked barley, ¾ cup black beans, ½ cup corn, tomato and red pepper, 1 tbsp olive oil, lime and cilantro
SnackSoy yogurt with strawberries1 cup plain soy yogurt, 1 cup sliced strawberries, 1 tbsp walnuts
DinnerTofu stir-fry with broccoli6 oz firm tofu, 2 cups broccoli, 1 cup cooked brown rice, 2 tsp canola oil, garlic, ginger, 1 tbsp sesame seeds
About 1,870 kcal75 g protein47 g fiber
Day 2Tuesday
- BreakfastOatmeal with soy milk and banana1 cup cooked oats, 1 cup soy milk, 1 banana, 1 tbsp peanut butter, cinnamon
- LunchWhite bean and kale stew1½ cups white bean and kale stew with tomato and carrot, 1 slice whole-grain bread, 1 tbsp almonds, 1 apple
- SnackEdamame with lemon and chili½ cup shelled edamame with lemon zest and chili flakes, 1 orange
- DinnerBaked cod with lentils and spinach6 oz baked cod, 1 cup cooked lentils, 2 cups spinach sautéed with 2 tsp olive oil and garlic, ½ baked sweet potato
About 1,850 kcal110 g protein58 g fiber
Day 3Wednesday
- BreakfastOvernight oats with raspberries½ cup rolled oats, ¾ cup soy milk, 1 tbsp chia seeds, ½ cup raspberries, 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- LunchChicken and barley pilaf with peas4 oz chicken breast, 1 cup cooked barley, ½ cup peas, 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon and dill, 1 orange
- SnackHummus with pita and carrots½ cup hummus, ½ whole-wheat pita, 1 cup carrot sticks
- DinnerBlack bean burgers with sweet potato fries2 black bean patties on a whole-wheat bun, 1 cup baked sweet potato fries with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 cup cabbage slaw
About 1,990 kcal93 g protein54 g fiber
Day 4Thursday
- BreakfastMushroom eggs on rye toast2 eggs scrambled with 1 cup mushrooms and 1 tsp olive oil, 2 slices rye bread, 1 tomato, 1 orange
- LunchLentil salad with apples and walnuts¾ cup cooked lentils, 1 diced apple, ½ oz walnuts, 2 cups arugula, 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon, 1 slice whole-grain bread
- SnackOrange and pistachios with soy milk1 orange, 1 oz pistachios, 1 cup soy milk
- DinnerSalmon with brown rice and snap peas5 oz baked salmon, 1 cup cooked brown rice, 1½ cups snap peas with ginger, 1 tbsp olive oil
About 2,010 kcal97 g protein42 g fiber
Day 5Friday
- BreakfastWhole-grain waffles with peaches2 whole-grain waffles, ½ cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 peach, 1 tbsp almond butter
- LunchSquash and white bean soup with toast2 cups butternut squash and white bean soup, 1 slice whole-grain toast, 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds, ½ cup edamame, 1 apple
- SnackRice cakes with avocado2 brown rice cakes, ½ avocado, tomato, lemon, 1 cup grapes
- DinnerShrimp and zucchini pasta5 oz shrimp, 1½ cups cooked whole-wheat pasta, 2 cups zucchini and cherry tomatoes, 1 tbsp olive oil, ½ oz Parmesan
About 1,920 kcal94 g protein42 g fiber
Day 6Saturday
- BreakfastBanana oat pancakes with blueberries3 oat-banana pancakes (1 banana, ½ cup rolled oats, 1 egg white), ¾ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt, ½ cup blueberries, 1 tbsp maple syrup
- LunchQuinoa and edamame bowl1 cup cooked quinoa, 1 cup shelled edamame, 1 cup shredded cabbage and carrot, 1 tbsp sesame oil, rice vinegar
- SnackSoy yogurt with kiwi and almonds1 cup plain soy yogurt, 2 kiwi, 1 tbsp almonds
- DinnerBaked halibut with barley and peas5 oz halibut, 1 cup cooked barley, ½ cup peas, 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon and herbs, side salad, 1 oz whole-grain roll
About 1,950 kcal104 g protein41 g fiber
Day 7Sunday
- BreakfastEggs with avocado on rye2 eggs, ¼ avocado, 2 slices rye bread, sliced tomato, 1 cup soy milk
- LunchLentil soup with sterol spread toast2 cups lentil and vegetable soup, ½ cup chickpeas, 1 slice whole-grain toast with 2 tsp plant sterol spread
- SnackCottage cheese with pineapple¾ cup low-fat cottage cheese, ½ cup pineapple, 1 tbsp walnuts
- DinnerCod with cannellini beans and tomatoes5 oz baked cod, ¾ cup cannellini beans, 1 cup tomatoes and zucchini with garlic and rosemary, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 slice whole-grain bread, side salad
About 1,810 kcal126 g protein45 g fiber
Shopping list
What to buy
Most days
Soy foodsFirm tofu, edamame, unsweetened soy milk, plain soy yogurt
Now and then
- Butter and creamOlive oil and plant sterol spread do the job instead
Plant sterol spreads are optional. Check the label for added plant sterols, and ask your clinician if they suit you.
Make it yours
This week is a sample. Alma builds yours.
- Meals fit to your goal and the foods you like
- Log a meal by photo, voice or text in about 10 seconds
- Every meal gets an Alma Score from 0 to 100
Questions
What people ask
What is the Portfolio diet?
Harvard Health describes it as a plant-based pattern built on four cholesterol-lowering foods: viscous fiber from oats, barley and beans, soy protein, nuts, and plant sterols. In studies, eating them together lowered LDL cholesterol.
Does oatmeal really lower cholesterol?
Oats are rich in beta-glucan, a soluble fiber. The FDA allows a health claim for 3 grams a day of oat beta-glucan as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Plain oats are the best buy, since flavored packets often carry added sugar.
Which foods lower cholesterol the most?
Soluble fiber, nuts, soy and plant sterols each play a part, and Harvard Health says the Portfolio approach combines them. Cutting saturated fat matters just as much, because it raises LDL cholesterol more than dietary cholesterol does. The AHA points to vegetables, fruit, whole grains, fish and vegetable oils as the base.
How many calories is this meal plan?
About 1,810 to 2,010 calories a day, with 75 to 126 grams of protein and 41 to 58 grams of fiber a day. That is a lot of fiber, so add beans and oats gradually and drink water. Scale portions to your size and activity.
Can I stop taking my statin if I eat this way?
No. Talk with your clinician before changing any medicine. A cholesterol-lowering diet adds to what a statin does, and stopping a prescribed medicine on your own can raise your risk. Ask your care team what to expect at your next blood test.
Are eggs okay on a cholesterol-lowering diet?
For most people, yes. The AHA says saturated and trans fats affect blood cholesterol more than the cholesterol in food, and one egg a day fits a heart-healthy pattern. If you have diabetes or heart disease, ask your clinician what fits your numbers.
How does Alma help with cholesterol?
Log a meal by photo, voice or text in about 10 seconds, and Alma scores it from 0 to 100 using Harvard's Alternate Healthy Eating Index, which rewards oats, beans, nuts and vegetables. Alma can build a plan around your goal and the foods you like.
Sources
Written by Alma from the sources below and reviewed October 28, 2026. Calories and protein are estimates. This is general information, not medical advice. If you manage a health condition or take medication, check changes with your clinician. Editorial standards
- American Heart Association: Prevention and treatment of high cholesterol
- American Heart Association: Diet and lifestyle recommendations
- Harvard Health: The portfolio diet
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: Fiber
- NHLBI: Blood cholesterol
- FDA: Authorized health claims that meet significant scientific agreement
- USDA FoodData Central, for calorie and protein estimates
Get a week built around you.
Tell Alma your goal and the foods you like. It plans the meals and scores each one.