Low Cholesterol Diet 101

A low cholesterol diet has more benefits than you may realize.

There is one factor that is associated with all of the following:-

High cholesterol.
High blood pressure and hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis).
Diabetes.
Predisposition towards heart attack and stroke.

Can you guess what it is?

Obesity.

Being overweight / obese not only predisposes an individual to high cholesterol levels, but all the deadly lifestyle diseases mentioned above.

A low saturated fat, low cholesterol diet will help lower blood cholesterol levels and decrease the chances of all of the above.

Winning the war against bad cholesterol involves understanding the difference between good fats and bad fats. Yes, there are some fats that are actually good for you!

The foods that lower bad cholesterol include fruits, vegetables, whole grain foods, low fat or skimmed dairy products and monounsaturated fats.

Foods that increase bad cholesterol include saturated fats (butter), partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (margarine and shortenings), red meat, egg yolks, refined carbohydrates and full fat dairy products. A high sodium intake is also associated with high cholesterol levels.

The 2 types of dietary fat.

Dietary fats can be saturated or unsaturated. Saturated fats like butter solidify or remain solid at room temperature. Unsaturated fats do not; they are liquid at room temperature.

A low cholesterol diet is limited in saturated fats. Saturated fats are found mainly in meats and dairy products made with whole milk. Unsaturated fats (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated) are found mostly in plants, and are less likely to raise blood cholesterol levels. In fact, there is evidence that monounsaturated fats in vegetable oils(olive, peanut, or canola oils) may even help to lower blood cholesterol.

However, all vegetable oils are not created equal in a low cholesterol diet. There are a few vegetable fats such as coconut oil, palm oil, and cocoa butter (found in chocolate) that act like saturated fats, and should be avoided.

The problem with trans-fats.

Hydrogenated oils, also called trans-fats, are frequently used in baked goods, snack foods, and margarine. Stay away from these fats, since they are chemically altered to increase shelf life!

Trans fats are very harmful to the human body because they inhibit the formation of good eicosanoids. Margarine can increase the risk for heart disease, cancer, and high blood pressure.

This issue has entered the public eye with the recent changes enforced on restaurants in New York.

The manner in which food is fried is important in a low cholesterol diet.

Besides the type and amount of fat, it is important to note that deep frying and commercial frying tends to kill 'good fats' and introduce 'bad fats' into the system. Foods in a low cholesterol diet must be lightly fried / drizzled with healthy fats like olive oil.

The general guidelines for getting the right kind and amount of fat in a low cholesterol diet.

1. Eat one tablespoon of cold-pressed seed oil (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, flaxseeds, etc.) or one heaped tablespoon of ground seeds a day.
2. Avoid fried food, burnt or browned fat, saturated and hydrogenated fat.
3. If you do fry, use olive oil or butter.