What to Eat the Week Before Your Cholesterol Test

A cholesterol test can feel a little like report card day for your heart. Suddenly, every meal in the week leading up to it starts to feel important.

But does what you eat the week before your test actually make a difference?

“What you eat in the days leading up to a cholesterol test can affect certain parts of the results, especially triglycerides,” says Joe Li, DO, with Hartford HealthCare Medical Group. “But more importantly, your cholesterol levels reflect your overall habits over time, not just one healthy dinner the night before.”

So there’s no reason to panic or try a crash diet just to get better bloodwork results. In fact, your doctor wants an accurate picture of your usual cholesterol levels.

Before your next cholesterol test, here’s what to know about the foods that can affect your results.