Consuming protein-rich foods that are lower in fat and cholesterol can help a person lose weight, reduce her risk of heart disease and ward off a number of other potential aliments. Proteins that are based in plant based foods are in most cases going to be lower in fat and always lower in cholesterol than those proteins that are derived from animals. The American Heart Association reports that most meats contain a similar amount of cholesterol at about 70 mg per every 3-oz. serving.
Whites of Eggs
Foods made with only the whites of the eggs will provide a person with a significant amount of protein. When only the whites of the eggs are eaten and the yolk is left out, the high cholesterol content and a significant amount of the fat will be removed. Therefore, egg whites are a healthy protein rich food.
Use only the whites of the eggs when making things that call for the whole egg such as desserts; this will lower the fat and cholesterol content in these foods.
Tofu
Tofu contains about 9 g of protein in every 4-oz. serving, reports The World's Healthiest Foods website. The Harvard School of Public Health reports that tofu and other soy products can provide an alternative protein for red meat that is excellent. Tofu is a plant based protein that is derived from the soy bean plant and because it is plant based it contains no cholesterol. Also, tofu and many other soy based products are low in fat and the fat they do contain comes primarily in the form of healthy unsaturated fat.
Lentils
Lentils are a valuable source of protein. According to Planet Green website, every cup of cooked lentils contains 35 percent of a person's necessary daily protein intake. Lentils similar to tofu provide a person with a plant based protein and therefore, lentils do not contain any cholesterol. Also, lentils contain a negligible amount of fat.
Use lentils in soups, salads or mixed into brown rice dishes. The website Belly Bytes reports that the healthy isoflavones found in lentils hold up during processing therefore, lentils are still packed with nutrients in their canned or dried form.
Some Milks
Whole milk products are high in cholesterol and fat. Non-fat milk, low fat milk and soy milk, however, contain high amounts of protein, but have lower levels of fat and cholesterol than whole milk. The American Heart Association recommends that people trying to lower their cholesterol switch from using whole milk or half and half milk when baking or eating and replace these milks with low-fat or fat-free milks. These milk products still contain a rich amount of protein at around 8 g per serving, but they have a reduced amount of fat and cholesterol and soy milk does not contain any cholesterol.
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