For cholesterol High
Eat meat sparingly.
Relegate meat to a minor part of your diet instead of making it the centerpiece
of most meals. Trim off fat and skin from meats and poultry. Avoid fatty cuts of
beef, pork, and lamb; instead choose lean meats, or substitute fish or skinless
white-meat poultry. When dining out, choose a smaller portion of meat, or meatless
pasta or fish dishes.
Opt for low-fat dairy products.
Avoid dairy foods that contain whole milk or cream; instead, use low-fat or nonfat
versions.
Watch the snacks.
Choose low-fat snacks (homemade popcorn, carrots, dried fruits, or fresh fruits)
instead of high-fat ones (potato chips and candy bars). Avoid store-bought bakery
products unless they are explicitly low in saturated fats and free of trans fats.
Cut down on saturated fat in cooking.
Use liquid cooking oils rather than butter or margarine. Use nonstick pans. Instead
of frying your food, bake, broil, roast, steam, or stew. Discard drippings, and
baste with wine or broth.
Avoid palm and coconut oils.
Most vegetable oils are unsaturated, but these two contain mostly saturated fat.
Choose canola, sunflower, safflower, corn, soybean, olive, and peanut oils.
Reduce dietary cholesterol.
Strive to eat less than 200 mg of dietary cholesterol a day. Limit eggs to no more
than four egg yolks per week; two egg whites can replace a whole egg in most recipes.
Limit lean meat, fish, and poultry to no more than 6 ounces per day (a 3-ounce portion
is about the size of a deck of playing cards). Stay away from cholesterol-rich organ
meats, such as liver, brains, and kidneys.
Increase complex carbohydrates and fiber.
Emphasize foods with complex carbohydrates—such as fruits and vegetables, whole-grain
products, and legumes (dried beans and peas)—that are low in calories and high in
fiber. Eat more water-soluble fiber, such as that found in oat bran and fruits.
This type of fiber can significantly lower your blood cholesterol level when eaten
in conjunction with a low-fat diet.
Eat fruits and vegetables.
To protect your heart, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Go for nuts.
Nuts are associated with a lower risk of heart disease. They’re a healthful and
filling source of protein, but go easy on them; they have lots of calories, so too
much could cause weight gain.
Add fish to your diet.
Countries with high fish consumption have a lower risk of death from all causes
as well as from cardiovascular disease. Like nuts, oily fish contain the essential
fatty acids known as omega-3s and omega-6s. Since our bodies can’t make these, we
have to eat foods that contain them to gain their benefits, which include improved
cholesterol levels.
Reduce salt intake.
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Diets high
in salt increase risk of hypertension. (how? Send to reduce salt intake tips)
Avoid trans fats.
According to the Institute of Medicine’s Food and Nutrition Board, there are no
redeeming qualities to trans fats, and no safe levels. They raise LDL cholesterol
and lower HDL cholesterol. The National Cholesterol Education Program urges people
to eat as little as possible. Avoid or eat only very small quantities of foods that
list hydrogenated oil or partially hydrogenated oil among their first ingredients.
These products contain a lot of trans fat.
Drink alcohol only in moderation.
Regular, moderate drinking can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, but heavy
drinking negates the benefits. Moreover, the advantages aren’t strong enough to
recommend alcohol for anyone who doesn’t already drink. For those who do, the Dietary
Guidelines for Americans recommend no more than one drink a day for women, and one
or two drinks a day for men.
Read labels carefully.
Avoid prepared foods that list any of the following among the first few ingredients:
meat fat, coconut or palm oil, cream, butter, egg or yolk solids, whole milk solids,
lard, cocoa butter, chocolate or imitation chocolate, or hydrogenated or partially
hydrogenated fat or oil. Watch out for fast foods and other unlabeled products;
when you don’t know what you’re getting, eat sparingly. (know more):
- Words to Look For:
- Fat-free Saturated fat-free
- Low-fat
- Low saturated fat
- Reduced or less fat
- Reduced or less saturated fat
- Cholesterol-free
Change strategies.
If three months of healthy eating doesn’t bring your total and LDL cholesterol levels
into the desired range, consult your physician and a dietitian. If the numbers still
don’t budge after six months, it may be time to consider medication.
Go for whole grains:
Refined or processed foods are lower in fiber content, so make whole grains an integral
part of your diet. There are many simple ways to add whole grains to your meals.
(know more):
- Breakfast better. For breakfast choose a high-fiber breakfast cereal
- one with five or more grams of fiber per serving. Or add a few tablespoons of
unprocessed wheat bran to your favorite cereal.
- Try a new grain. Experiment with brown rice, wild rice, barley,
whole-wheat pasta, and bulgur. These alternatives are higher in fiber than their
more mainstream counterparts—and you may find you love their tastes.
- Bulk up your baking. When baking at home, substitute whole-grain
flour for half or all of the white flour, since whole-grain flour is heavier than
white flour. In yeast breads, use a bit more yeast or let the dough rise longer.
Try adding crushed bran cereal or unprocessed wheat bran to muffins, cakes, and
cookies.
- Add flaxseed. Flaxseeds are small brown seeds that are high in
fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, which can lower your total blood cholesterol. You
can grind the seeds in a coffee grinder or food processor and stir a teaspoon of
them into yogurt, applesauce, or hot cereal.
