There are numerous natural foods that can reduce high cholesterol. Below are five such foods:

· Oatmeal or oats

· Eggplant or aubergine. Also known as brinjal

· Black beans

· Corn

· Enoki mushroom. Those little Japanese needle mushroom with tiny white caps.

However, the most potent one for reducing high blood cholesterol is the black fungus. 

The technical name for black fungus is Auricularia polytricha or Hirneola polytricha. 

What a mouthful! 

It is also known by other equally interesting names: cloud ear; tree ear; wood fungus, ear fungus, mouse ear, and jelly mushroom.

The Chinese call it “yun er” which means “cloud ear.” 

Let us just call it Black Fungus. 

Black fungus is usually sold in dried form. There are actually two types of black fungus.

The very thick one and the smaller flakey variety. Here we are referring to the thick black fungus. It measures around 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3 inches) and is black on one side and grey on the other.

Black fungus is very popular in Chinese cuisine. Although tasteless by itself, when cooked with other ingredients, it absorbed the flavor while maintaining its crunchiness. Black fungus is used in Chinese herbal medication to increase blood fluidity and improve blood circulation.

Black fungus can reduce high blood cholesterol. High cholesterol is defined as a measurement greater than 200 mg/dL. LDL cholesterol levels greater than 130 mg/dL and HDL cholesterol levels less than 60 mg/dL are considered high. So much for the technical measurement. 

Black fungus has a reputation in Chinese herbal medicine for increasing the fluidity of the blood and improving circulation. It is given to patients who suffer from atherosclerosis. Western medicine is now investigating centuries-old claims made by Eastern sages and finding them surprisingly accurate.