Simple Ways to Lower Cholesterol
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When it comes to cholesterol, Americans clearly have a problem on their hands (and hearts). According to the American Heart Association (AHA), nearly 48 percent of non-Hispanic white men over the age of 20 are considered borderline high-risk for heart disease thanks to their cholesterol levels. Perhaps most surprising is that more women in that same category are borderline high risk for heart disease, as just under 50 percent of females have cholesterol levels that could lead to serious problems.
So what to do? Fortunately, while the consequences of high cholesterol can be drastic, controlling cholesterol and maintaining healthy cholesterol levels is not very difficult. And doing so can be done in all facets of your daily diet.
Meat and Protein Foods
Many people love eating meat, and lowering cholesterol doesn't mean you have to cut meat out of your diet entirely. Instead, take a different approach to how you include meat in your diet. Limit how much fatty ground meat you eat and reduce the servings of heavily marbled cuts of meat. Choose lean, well-trimmed beef, veal, lamb, or pork. Avoid eating bacon or sausage and even high-fat deli meats. If you're ordering deli meats, ask for low fat meats that are available at most delis.
When removing or reducing your meat intake, it's understandable to be concerned about how that will impact your protein intake as well. But you can maintain protein intake by making meatless protein like dried beans, lentils, split peas, and even peanut butter a part of your daily diet. While meat is a great source of protein, it's not the only means to include protein in your diet.
Dairy Products
Dairy can also be detrimental to an individual's cholesterol levels, even though it doesn't have to be. Dairy that typically has a negative impact on cholesterol levels includes milk with a high fat percentage (whole milk), cream, half and half, and nondairy creamer, and ice cream, whipped cream or nondairy whipped toppings. Whole-milk products, such as whole-milk yogurt or whole-milk cheeses, can also be bad for cholesterol levels.
However, choosing dairy that is heart-friendly is very easy. In lieu of whole-milk products, choose skim milk or 1 percent milk products. Instead of ice cream at dessert, serve frozen yogurt, ice milk, sherbet, or sorbet. Low-fat cheeses, such as 1 percent cottage cheese or skim-milk mozzarella, and low-fat yogurts are also more heart-friendly dairy products.
Fruits and Vegetables
While it's hard to imagine fruits or vegetables not being healthy, sometimes what you might think is healthy is anything but. Coconut, for instance, is a fruit that is high in saturated fat. Also, avoid deep-frying vegetables and don't negate the positives of vegetables with cream sauce, cheese sauce, or cooking vegetables in butter.
When cooking vegetables, be sure to include daily servings of steamed, boiled or baked vegetables in your diet. Instead of seasoning vegetables with butter or cheese sauces, utilize herbs, lemon juice, or minimal amounts of low-fat margarine to add some flavor to your veggies.
Breads and Cereals
Breads and cereals can also have a negative impact on cholesterol levels if you're choosing the wrong ones. While it's common to assume baked goods are more heart-friendly, baked goods such as donuts, pastries or croissants are not good choices for those looking to lower their cholesterol. Along those same lines, many are quick to assume granola is good no matter what. However, granola with coconut or coconut oil added is not very healthy.
When looking for more heart-friendly breads and cereals, choose hot or cold cereals with no added fat. Plain breads and pastas and even English muffins are also heart-healthy. When snacking, choose air-popped popcorn, pretzels, rice cakes, or melba toast. Fruit cookies, angel food cake and graham crackers are also healthy snacking options.
To learn more about cholesterol, visit the AHA Web site at www.americanheart.org.