Low Cholesterol Diet Plan to Follow

04.04.2008 by Dr John Anne in Cholesterol

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The main thrust of a low cholesterol diet is to reduce not only the amount of cholesterol one eats but also saturated fats and trans fats. Many studies into the way cholesterol works in the body have found that these two types of fats are actually more responsible for high blood cholesterol levels then foods that are naturally high in cholesterol.

A low cholesterol diet is just as much about all the wonderful foods you can eat as it is about those foods you want to find alternatives to. Once you start to expand your definition of diet to include cuisines you can see quickly that there are some cuisines that are just healthier than others and some cuisines can very much be enjoyed on a low cholesterol diet.

One of the goals of the low cholesterol diet is, of course, to limit the amount of fat you eat.

People should also cut back on their sodium intake. An increase of complex carbohydrates and fiber is also a necessary part of the plan. As a rule of thumb, you should eat 20-30 grams of fiber a day. People should limit sugar and alcohol, as they are high in calories and low in nutrition. When considering what meat to eat, you should choose carefully. Red meats tend to be high in fat and can be detrimental to your health. Chicken and poultry are often a good substitute.

Cholesterol Lowering Diet

Since many foods high in total fat are also high in saturated fat, eating foods low in total fat will help you eat less saturated fat. When you do eat fat, you should substitute unsaturated monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat for saturated fat. Examples of foods high in monounsaturated fat are olive and canola oils, those high in polyunsaturated fat include safflower, sunflower, corn, and soybean oils.

Legumes (beans) contain folate, which helps lower levels of homocysteine (an amino acid that may lead to blockages in the arteries) and reduce heart disease risk. This meal plan offers legumes at least once each day in soups, salads or vegetable recipes.

Cold-water fatty fish, such as salmon, albacore tuna, haddock, mackerel, herring and sardines, are high in omega-three fatty acids, which help lower triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels. Eating seafood at least twice a week could lower your risk of heart disease by 29 to 40 percent! This meal plan helps by offering a seafood choice for dinner.

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