subject: 10 Ways To Lower High Cholesterol Through Diet [print this page] High cholesterol, and the health problems that come with it, is a major concern for many people. Not everyone is willing to take cholesterol-lowering medications, and many people find the medications are not easily affordable.
Fortunately, medication is not the only way to lower your cholesterol. One of the easiest ways to lower your high cholesterol is through diet, and the following are ten ways to do it:
1/ Eat more fiber.
Fiber from beans, fruit pectin and psyllium seed are all known to reduce cholesterol levels. Another excellent source of dietary fiber is oatmeal, which is a quick breakfast food that also contains mucilage that is beneficial to the digestive tract.
2/ Cut back on carbohydrates.
Although carbohydrates are necessary for burning fat in the body, too many carbs raise your cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease. Carbohydrates form acetyl CoA, which is used by the body to produce energy. Unfortunately, excess CoA turns to fat and cholesterol. In addition, sugar reduces HDL, the good cholesterol, and is associated with certain forms of heart disease.
3/ Use olive oil instead of saturated fats, like butter and coconut oil. Not only does this reduce your intake of bad fats, but olive oil also lowers LDL, or bad cholesterol.
4/ Keep an eye on your meat intake.
Food from animal sources contains cholesterol, and some have more than others. Meats like bologna, sausage, hot dogs and bacon are high in cholesterol and salt, as are organ meats like liver. Lean meats and poultry are lower in cholesterol, and fish like cod are even lower in cholesterol than chicken. Eating the white meat from chicken or turkey, without the skin, are excellent low-cholesterol choices.
5/ Use lower-fat, lower-cholesterol substitutes.
Go for cottage cheese instead of ricotta for lasagna. Many salad dressings are lower in fat than mayonnaise, and there are low-fat versions of mayo available. Use liquid vegetable oils, like canola or safflower, in place of lard and animal fats when cooking.
6/ Limit high-fat dairy products.
Use skim milk instead of whole milk. Avoid ice cream, which is made from whole milk, cream and sugar. Instead, eat ice milk, low-fat frozen yogurt, sorbet or popsicles for your frozen treats.
7/ Go easy on the eggs.
Egg yolks are a major source of dietary cholesterol. Limit yourself to no more than two eggs per week. This limit will help you avoid taking in more cholesterol, which leads to lower cholesterol levels over time.
8/ Eat your veggies.
Plant fats and the soluble fibers found in fruits and vegetables actively lower cholesterol. According to recent studies, a diet high in fiber and rich in vegetables can lower your high cholesterol nearly as much as statin drugs.
9/ Get your protein from nuts and soy.
Nuts, soybeans, and soy-based products will provide all of the necessary dietary protein, but with a significantly lower amount of fat and cholesterol.
10/ Mix and match.
Eating a combination of four or more cholesterol-lowering foods each day makes cholesterol-lowering diets more effective. Combining the foods also helps keep the diet from becoming boring or bland. An example of combining is to have stir-fry with vegetables, tofu, fruit, and almonds for one meal.
by: Stuart Brown
welcome to Insurances.net (https://www.insurances.net)