But if you're like most people (especially Americans), you may know very little about what kind of foods go into a low cholesterol diet.
Don't worry. There's really nothing mysterious about planning a good diet for high cholesterol. In fact, you can locate many different resources: books, magazines, newspapers, TV and of course, the Internet.
But understand up front that designing a good diet for high cholesterol is not the tough part. It's actually following the diet that separates those who will be successful from the "wannabes."
Making the change to a low cholesterol diet is the real challenge. But it's important to try because cholesterol health matters. It may even be life-saving. Here's why.
When you eat meals that contribute to high cholesterol levels, you boost your risk of developing conditions like atherosclerosis, high blood pressure and heart disease, along with a variety of other diseases and disorders. These conditions can lower your longevity along with your quality of life.
There's no question that it's tough follow a healthy plan when you're bombarded by hundreds of advertising messages everyday inviting you to "slip." But once you commit to lowering your cholesterol, you'll be happy to discover that lots of cholesterol-friendly foods taste pretty good after all.
Before looking at specific foods, let's take a look at four different kinds of fats that come in most of the food we eat. This is important. When you understand which fats are good and which fats are bad, you can pick foods that are good and stay away from those that aren't. You may not have been aware of it, but not all fats are bad. In fact, there are some that are downright healthy.
Let's check out the bad fats first.
Saturated fats - You find these in red meat, coconut oil, palm oil and so on.
Trans fats - This is the type of fat you get in some of our best loved "comfort" foods like baked goods (cake, muffins, doughnuts, croissants etc.). Trans fats are also used frequently in fast food restaurants, especially the ones that offer french fries. Many foods that come in a cardboard box or a plastic wrapper contain excessive amounts of trans fats (along with lots of blood pressure-raising salt)
Fats that are good for you include the following:
Polyunsaturated fats - These come from vegetable oils & fish oils. They reduce cholesterol when eaten in moderation.
Monounsaturated fats - You'll find these in sunflower seeds, peanuts, olive oil, etc. They actually contribute to lowering cholesterol levels.
Here are some low fat low cholesterol examples.
* Most fruits and vegetables. Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries are especially good and most people think they taste great.
* Several different kinds of nuts, especially almonds and walnuts. These are handy as snacks and you can eat them several times a day (but be watchful of calories).
* Oat bran or oatmeal, certain cooked beans like pinto beans, kidney beans, and garbanzo beans or chick peas.
* Soy, which comes from tofu, tempeh, soymilk, roasted soy nuts.
* Many types of fish will help you reduce your cholesterol levels. Some of the best are albacore tuna, herring, lake trout, mackerel, sardines and salmon. These are rich in omaga-3, which is a valuable, cholesterol-lowering fatty acid. Fish also provides a lot of protein without a lot of calories.
Planning a low cholesterol diet means you have to become an educated consumer. You do it by carefully reading information on the labels of foods you buy - especially if that food comes in plastic wrappers, metal cans or cardboard boxes.
Unfortunately, many people avoid eating a good diet for high cholesterol because they mistakenly believe it will be tasteless and boring. But when you really take a look at all the healthy - and tasty - options a low cholesterol diet offers, you'll find it can be a lot more interesting than you probably thought.
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