Chocolate It should come as a surprise that chocolate has popped up on this list, but it is important to understand that chocolate is much different that a candy bar. Candy bars are highly associated with increasing your cholesterol levels, as well as increasing your body weight. But dark chocolate with high percentages of cacao are potentially useful in helping to lower your cholesterol levels. While you should have moderation when eating chocolate, make sure to only limit your intake to about an ounce per day for best results. The antioxidants that you get from eating chocolate may also be a major player in oxidizing LDL cholesterol to help stop the formation of plaque in your major arteries leading to your heart.