If your busy lifestyle is preventing you from eating as healthy as you should be, it's time to break the routine. By incorporating a few healthy foods into your existing diet, you can help lower your cholesterol, lose weight and decrease your risk of heart disease. Consult your doctor before making any changes in your diet, especially if you have allergies or other health problems.
Fresh Fruit
Fresh fruit is a nutritious addition that will help add bulk to your meals and help you feel full for longer. Add fruit like mandarin oranges or apples to a salad instead of cheese or meat, in order to infuse your food with flavor and help you feel more satisfied. Dried fruit, fruit canned in syrup and fruit juices diluted with water are OK to eat occasionally, but they tend to be higher in sugar than fresh fruit, according to HelpGuide.org in the article "Healthy Eating: Easy Tips for Planning a Healthy Diet and Sticking to It." Reach for an apple or a bunch of grapes when you're looking for a refreshing snack that will help tide you over until your next meal.
Oatmeal
Set aside sugary cereals for breakfast and instead, opt for oatmeal. Oatmeal is high in soluble fiber and eating it once a day may help reduce levels of low-density lipoprotein, or bad cholesterol, according to MayoClinic.com in the article "Cholesterol: Top Five Foods to Lower Your Numbers." Add pizazz to your breakfast by adding some sliced bananas, chopped strawberries, blueberries or raisins to your oatmeal.
Fish
If you consistently eat red meat for dinner, you may be increasing your risk of heart disease and high cholesterol. Eat fish instead of red meat twice a week -- Fish that are high omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon, halibut, albacore tuna and mackerel, may also help lower your cholesterol. Eating fried fish may be as bad or worse than eating red meat, so cook your fish wisely. Instead of frying, bake your fish with a small amount of olive oil drizzled on top.
Vegetables
Adding vegetables to a meal may add bulk to a meal without packing on additional calories. Green vegetables are good sources of vitamin A, magnesium, vitamin E, calcium, iron, vitamin K, potassium and zinc, notes HelpGuide.org. Munch on vegetables like carrot sticks, celery sticks, bell pepper strips and cucumber slices as a snack that is very low in calories and saturated fat, but will tide you over until your next meal. Start each dinner with a salad to cut your hunger and allow you to take a smaller portion of the main course. For every 1/4 cup of cooked pasta, add 1/4 cup cooked vegetables to your pasta dishes. You'll add bulk and turn an otherwise unhealthy meal into a healthy one.
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