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2. Soy
Eating 14 to 50 grams of soy foods (e.g., edamame, tofu) daily for one to four months lowered total cholesterol by 2 percent, LDL by 3 percent, and triglycerides (the fat associated with heart disease) by 4 percent, according to a 2015 meta-analysis. Results were even greater in those who were diabetic or obese. Soy may reduce the body’s ability to produce cholesterol and increase its rate of deterioration, says lead study author Oluwabunmi Tokede.