When your blood cholesterol levels are too high, it puts you at increased risk for developing heart disease or suffering a heart attack or stroke. Because of these risks, you should have your cholesterol levels checked every year or two, MedlinePlus advises. If levels are too high, drugs called statins can help lower your cholesterol. Your doctor may also recommend the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes Diet, or TLC Diet. It requires restricting certain food intakes or making substitutions of certain foods to help lower blood cholesterol into a healthier range.
Fatty Meats
You can still consume meat, poultry and seafood when following the TLC Diet to lower cholesterol levels. However, you should trim the fat from your meat whenever possible and choose leaner cuts of meat, the Penn State University Hershey Medical Center reports. In particular, try to avoid organ meats because these are typically higher in cholesterol than other cuts of meat. Also, when buying meat look for cuts that have little or no marbling.
Eggs
Eggs contain a lot of cholesterol. In fact, one egg contains 300mg, which is the maximum recommended daily intake for cholesterol. If you are trying to lower your cholesterol, avoid eggs as much as possible. If you do enjoy eggs, consider using egg whites or egg substitutes because the cholesterol in an egg is concentrated in the yolk, MayoClinic.com notes.
Saturated Fat
People on a diet to treat high cholesterol should limit saturated fat intake to no more than 18g per day, MedlinePlus reports. Saturated fats are animal fats, which is one reason why trimming fat from meat is recommended. You can find saturated fats in all animal products, however. Familiarize yourself with the nutrition facts labels on foods so you can monitor saturated fat intake and make better choices to limit your consumption.
Trans Fat
Another important element of the TLC Diet is strictly limiting trans fat intake, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Trans fats are typically found in processed foods, fried foods and baked goods made in commercial kitchens, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. A food's trans fat content is required to be included on the nutrition facts label. Use this information to look for foods free of trans fats so you can restrict how much you consume.
Full-Fat Dairy Products
Eliminate full-fat dairy products, including whole milk and those made with whole milk, from your diet if you are trying to lower your cholesterol levels. Because whole milk is an animal product, it contains saturated fat. Instead of whole milk drink skim milk and use low-fat dairy products made with lower-fat milk, Hershey Medical Center advises.
References
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: High Blood Cholesterol
- MedlinePlus: Managing Cholesterol
- Penn State University Hershey Medical Center: High Cholesterol
- MayoClinic.com: Top 5 Lifestyle Changes to Reduce Cholesterol
- University of Maryland Medical Center: High Cholesterol Care Guide: Maintain Healthy Habits
Member Comments