Ok, so the doctor told you that your cholesterol level was too high and you need to start eating better foods. First, you get a big A+ for getting your cholesterol level checked in the first place. Second, its not the end of the world, there are plenty of good foods you can eat that taste good and help you lower your bad cholesterol to boot. However, from now on your biggest enemy will be Saturated Fat. Saturated fat is solid at room temperature (yuk) and it raises blood cholesterol levels.
How can I avoid eating too much saturated fats? Avoid foods like bacon, regular lunch meats, red meat, sausages, lard, butter, chicken skin and whole milk because they contain high levels of saturated fats. I know its not easy, but there are plenty of foods out there that taste good and are good for you.
Easy Recipes For Cholesterol Free Diet
Broiling, grilling and baking are easy methods for low cholesterol cooking. While buying food items, read the labels carefully, and choose the items that have less than three grams of fat per 100 calorie serving. Shellfish, egg yolks, liver and animal foods are high in cholesterol, and their intake should be limited. While cooking these food items, use low fat cooking recipes whenever possible.
A cholesterol free diet should be the main goal for people whose level has risen to 240 or more. The level of cholesterol should always remain less than 200. Fruits and vegetables must be a part of a healthy, cholesterol free diet plan, in addition to consumption of fish or white meat that has been grilled or baked.
Even if cholesterol is a genetic problem, it can be controlled by paying attention to the food that you eat on a daily basis. It is possible to buy fat-free salad dressing and margarine, sugar free products, and low fat lunch meals, and most of these products taste good. Most people find it hardest to give up sweets and desserts, but these days many recipes and dishes are available that make use of fat-free ingredients that are pleasing to palate and don’t make your lips scrunch up like you just ate something sour.
Some of the important tips for maintaining a cholesterol free diet are choosing lean cuts of meat and trimming off the fat before cooking, using skimmed milk, consuming more chicken, substituting polyunsaturated margarine for butter, eating smaller portions of meat, using low-fat sauces, replacing hard cheese with reduced-fat or low-fat varieties, and skimming off fat from soups and stews by using absorbent paper.
A Cholesterol free diet plan should include more polyunsaturated fats, less saturated and trans fats, and more monounsaturated fats. Research indicates that people following a cholesterol free diet for one year reduced their cholesterol levels by more than 20%. There are numerous benefits for a diet rich in fiber, soy, nuts, fruits, vegetables and plant sterols. These cholesterol-lowering foods are more beneficial if consumed in combination. Each day, try to include at least three servings of whole grains and five servings of fruits and vegetables in your diet.
