Function

• HDL cholesterol is important in the body and also helps prevent heart disease. It stops LDL cholesterol from building up in your artery walls as well as helps the blood transport cholesterol your body does not need to the liver for excretion.
  
  

Types

• You can get extra HDL by eating certain plant-based foods. This includes a variety of fruit, vegetables, oats and beans. Especially helpful is eating nuts and seeds as they are loaded with "good" cholesterol.
  
  

Benefits

• You can also look for plant-based monounsaturated fats to help raise your HDL cholesterol. Eat or cook with avocado, olive oil and canola oil to increase your intake of monounsaturated fats.