How to get your cholesterol from 6 to 5 mmol/L

Getting total cholesterol from 6 to 5 mmol/L (232 to 193 mg/dL) means lowering it by about 17%, and with food alone that usually means combining several changes rather than relying on one. Cutting saturated fat, adding soluble fibre, swapping some meat for plant protein, eating nuts and, if you choose, using plant sterols each lower cholesterol by a few percent. Together they can add up to about 1 mmol/L in about a month. Whether you also need a statin depends on your overall heart risk score, not on the number 6 alone.

What a cholesterol of 6 means

The NHS says total cholesterol below 5 mmol/L (193 mg/dL) is a healthy level for adults, along with non-HDL below 4 mmol/L (155 mg/dL) and HDL above 1.0 mmol/L (39 mg/dL) for men or above 1.2 mmol/L (46 mg/dL) for women. So 6 mmol/L (232 mg/dL), or 6.2 (240 mg/dL), is moderately raised. It's not unusual, and on its own it doesn't tell your GP whether you need treatment.

Before you plan anything, check which number is 6. If your HDL is high, some of that total is "good" cholesterol, and the non-HDL figure is a better guide. Our guide to reading your results explains each line, and the unit converter switches between mmol/L and mg/dL. If your LDL is high but your HDL is good, see what that combination means.

A few results point to something other than diet:

• Total cholesterol above 7.5 mmol/L (290 mg/dL), or heart disease in a parent, brother, sister or child before 60, are reasons NICE suggests checking for familial hypercholesterolaemia.
• Total cholesterol above 9.0 mmol/L (348 mg/dL) or non-HDL above 7.5 mmol/L (290 mg/dL) should lead to a specialist assessment, according to NICE.

How much each change lowers cholesterol

Most diet research measures LDL, the main part of total cholesterol. If your HDL stays the same, a fall in LDL shows up as roughly the same fall in your total. Here's what the best evidence shows:

Two cautions. First, people respond very differently: the 2026 guideline notes that genetics and other factors change how much your LDL moves when you change your fat intake. Second, effects don't always add up perfectly when you combine them. Treat the numbers as a guide, not a promise.

NICE doesn't advise taking plant sterols or stanols to prevent heart disease. They do lower LDL, but if you're considering them, mention it to your GP.

A plan that can add up to 1 mmol/L

Going from 6.0 to 5.0 means a drop of 1.0 mmol/L (39 mg/dL). Here's one way the changes could stack for someone starting from a typical UK diet:

1. Swap the main sources of saturated fat. Use olive or rapeseed oil instead of butter, lard or ghee. Have fatty meat, sausages and pies less often. Cut down on cream, cheese, cakes, biscuits, and foods made with coconut or palm oil, the foods the NHS suggests eating less of. Likely effect: about 0.1 to 0.3 mmol/L. Our saturated fat calculator shows a daily limit for your calorie intake.
2. Add about 5 g of soluble fibre a day. For example, porridge made with oats or oat bran at breakfast, a portion of beans or lentils at lunch or dinner, and some barley, or a psyllium supplement if you like. About 0.3 mmol/L.
3. Replace some meat with plant protein. Try tofu, edamame, soya milk, beans or lentils in place of red or processed meat several times a week. About 0.2 mmol/L.
4. Eat a handful of nuts a day (around 30 g), instead of a less healthy snack rather than on top of it. About 0.1 mmol/L.
5. Optional: plant sterols. A fortified yoghurt drink or spread providing about 2 g a day could add a further 6 to 12% fall in LDL. About 0.25 to 0.5 mmol/L for someone with an LDL around 4. Talk to your GP first, given NICE's advice above.

Added together, steps 1 to 4 come to roughly 0.7 to 0.9 mmol/L, and about 1 to 1.4 mmol/L with sterols. That's in the same range as the 13 to 17% LDL falls seen in Portfolio Diet trials. Many people will land somewhere between 5 and 5.5. That's still a real improvement, and it's the kind of result that shows up in your heart risk score. The Portfolio Diet guide has daily amounts and a sample day, and our low-cholesterol recipes and 100 food swaps make the changes easier to stick to.

Beyond the food changes, the NHS also recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week, stopping smoking, and keeping alcohol to 14 units a week or less. These matter for your heart risk even where their effect on the cholesterol number is small.

How long it takes

LDL responds quickly. The first Portfolio Diet trial measured a 29% fall in LDL after just 4 weeks, although everyone's food was provided for them. In everyday life, where it takes time to change habits, it's sensible to give changes about 3 months before a re-test, so the result reflects what you're really eating. See how long it takes to lower cholesterol with diet for the full timeline, including what "in 7 days" or "in 30 days" can realistically achieve.

When NICE suggests a statin

In the UK, the decision isn't based on reaching 5 mmol/L. Under NICE's guideline NG238, your GP works out your QRISK3 score: your chance of a heart attack or stroke in the next 10 years, based on factors such as your age, sex, ethnicity, cholesterol, blood pressure and other health conditions.

• QRISK3 of 10% or more: NICE recommends offering atorvastatin 20 mg. Before that, your GP should talk through lifestyle changes and treat other risk factors. NICE says a statin should be offered if lifestyle change is ineffective or not appropriate, and you can have your risk reassessed after trying changes.
• QRISK3 under 10%: a statin isn't ruled out if you'd prefer one, or if your GP thinks the score may underestimate your risk. NICE also suggests a lifetime risk score can help guide decisions, particularly for people under 40.
• Some groups don't need a score: people with type 1 diabetes, chronic kidney disease or familial hypercholesterolaemia are already treated as higher risk. People who have had a heart attack or stroke are offered atorvastatin 80 mg whatever their cholesterol level.
• The goals are different from "5": with a statin, NICE aims for a more than 40% fall in non-HDL cholesterol for prevention. For people who already have heart or circulation disease, the aim is LDL of 2.0 mmol/L (77 mg/dL) or less, or non-HDL of 2.6 mmol/L (100 mg/dL) or less.

So someone with a cholesterol of 6 and a low QRISK3 may well be advised to focus on diet, while someone with the same 6 who smokes and has high blood pressure may be offered a statin straight away. The US approach is similar but uses a different risk calculator (PREVENT). See our guide to the 2026 US guidelines. If you're already on a statin, diet still adds to its effect: see what to eat on statins.

It's also worth asking whether you've had Lp(a) measured. It's an inherited cholesterol particle that a standard test doesn't show, and diet doesn't change it.

Sources

• NHS: Cholesterol levels and How to lower your cholesterol (both reviewed March 2026).
• NICE NG238: Cardiovascular disease: risk assessment and reduction, including lipid modification. Recommendations 1.1.9, 1.1.16, 1.3.12, 1.4.5, 1.6.1–1.6.9, 1.7.1–1.7.2 and 1.8.1.
• NICE CG71: Familial hypercholesterolaemia. Recommendation 1.1.1.
• Blumenthal RS, Morris PB, et al. 2026 ACC/AHA Guideline on the Management of Dyslipidemia. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2026;87(19). Sections 4.1.2–4.1.3.
• Jenkins DJA, et al. Effects of a dietary portfolio of cholesterol-lowering foods vs lovastatin on serum lipids and C-reactive protein. JAMA. 2003;290:502–510.
• Jenkins DJA, et al. Effect of a dietary portfolio of cholesterol-lowering foods given at 2 levels of intensity of dietary advice on serum lipids in hyperlipidemia. JAMA. 2011;306:831–839.
• Chiavaroli L, et al. Portfolio dietary pattern and cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2018;61:43–53.
• Brown L, et al. Cholesterol-lowering effects of dietary fiber: a meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999;69:30–42.
• Ras RT, et al. LDL-cholesterol-lowering effect of plant sterols and stanols across different dose ranges. Br J Nutr. 2014;112:214–219.

Frequently asked questions

Is a cholesterol level of 6 high?

It's moderately raised. The NHS says total cholesterol below 5 mmol/L (193 mg/dL) is a healthy level for adults, so 6 mmol/L (232 mg/dL) is above that. It's common, though, and whether you need treatment depends on your overall heart risk score (QRISK3), not on the number alone.

Is 6.2 cholesterol high?

A total cholesterol of 6.2 mmol/L (240 mg/dL) is above the NHS healthy level of 5 mmol/L. Like a level of 6, it's moderately raised. Your GP will look at it alongside your HDL, non-HDL, blood pressure, age and other risk factors to decide whether diet changes alone are enough.

Can I lower my cholesterol from 6 to 5 without statins?

Often, yes, but it usually takes several changes together. Each single change, such as more soluble fibre, less saturated fat, plant protein, nuts or plant sterols, lowers LDL by a few percent. Combined, as in the Portfolio Diet, trials found falls of about 13 to 17%, which is close to the 17% needed. Results vary a lot between people.

How long does it take to lower cholesterol from 6 to 5?

LDL responds within weeks: the first Portfolio Diet trial, where all food was provided, measured a 29% fall after 4 weeks. In everyday life it's sensible to keep changes going for about 3 months before a re-test, so the result reflects your usual diet.

Do I need a statin if my cholesterol is 6?

Not necessarily. In the UK, NICE recommends offering a statin when your 10-year QRISK3 score is 10% or more, after discussing lifestyle changes, rather than at a set cholesterol level. People who have had a heart attack or stroke, or who have conditions such as type 1 diabetes, kidney disease or familial hypercholesterolaemia, are treated differently.

What is 6 mmol/L of cholesterol in mg/dL?

6 mmol/L of total cholesterol is about 232 mg/dL, and 5 mmol/L is about 193 mg/dL. To convert cholesterol from mmol/L to mg/dL, multiply by 38.67. Triglycerides use a different factor, 88.57.

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