There are two types of cholesterol: one we call good, the other bad. We take a look at the difference, and what foods you can eat to make sure your cholesterol and heart can be as healthy as possible.

At the meat counter at Hy-Vee you'll find fresh salmon, a summer favorite, and something that's good for your heart too. It can increase the good cholesterol and decrease the bad. Hy-Vee Registered Dietitian Jennifer Colgan says, "Our HDL cholesterol is what we call our good cholesterol. It's what's responsible for preventing blockages in our arteries. Our LDL cholesterol is our bad cholesterol, which causes those blockages and can lead to heart disease."

There are some simple changes you can make to your diet that can help you lower that bad type of cholesterol.
First and foremost, try to limit saturated and trans fats, and replace them with healthier ones you can find in canola, olive and peanut oil.

Eating flax seed is another way to lower your cholesterol, and then there's those fatty fish, like salmon: they have Omega 3. Whole grain pastas, cereals and breads are also good. Colgan says, "By incorporating a variety of these foods into our diet, we can easily increase our healthy fat and fiber intake and our hearts will thank us for it."

By making good choices in the grocery aisle, you can help keep your arteries from getting clogged, and reduce your risk for heart disease.

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