The human body needs cholesterol in order to produce hormones and build healthy cells.The liver naturally produces enough cholesterol for these functions; however, certain foods we eat also contain cholesterol. When you eat these foods, they raise cholesterol levels in your blood, and cholesterol levels that are too high over time can cause serious complications such as heart disease and stroke. High cholesterol has no symptoms, so the only way to get your levels checked is by a blood test. If you have high cholesterol, there are foods you can eat that will help lower it.
Breakfast
Avoid eating sugary, starchy and fatty foods such as sugar-coated cereal, whole eggs, full fat dairy products and processed meats. Some of these foods contain both saturated fat and trans fat, which can both raise bad cholesterol levels according to MayoClinic.com. For breakfast have instead oatmeal, oat bran, all bran and any other cereal that has a high fiber level. These foods contain soluble-fiber, which lowers low-density lipoprotein, or bad cholesterol. Fruits such as apples, bananas and pears also contain soluble fiber. For a fiber-rich breakfast, eat oatmeal or cereal mixed with fruit and skin milk. In addition, if you like to eat eggs for breakfast, you can remove the yolk to get rid of the cholesterol in them, since all of the cholesterol is located in the yolk.
Lunch
Eat fresh vegetables or salad for lunch. Vegetables contain fiber, which according to MayoClinic.com, reduces bad cholesterol. If you eat a sandwich with your lunch, eat bread that contains whole grains or whole wheat, which contain soluble fiber. Try eating low-sodium soup along with a lunch that contains beans and whole grains.
Dinner
One quick way to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure is to decrease the amount of sodium you use in your foods. If you eat gravies or sauces with your dinner, let the liquid cool off, so that the fat hardens on top. Remove the fat, then reheat to use. Use liquid fats instead of solid fats to cook meats or fry foods in. Examples of fats that are shown to lower cholesterol are sunflower oil, canola oil, saffron oil and olive oil. Instead of eating fatty meats, try substituting them with fish such as salmon, herring, sardines or tuna, which all contain heart-healthy fats that lower cholesterol. Also, try eating lean poultry.
Snacks
Eat plenty of fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables. You can also try eating heart-healthy tuna and whole-grain crackers or fat-free yogurt and fruit, for example. Try to avoid fried or salted snacks, which could lower good cholesterol and raise bad cholesterol.
Beverages
Try adding smoothies to your menu. Instead of drinking ready-made juices or soda, try blending fresh fruits, low-fat yogurt, almonds, ice, flaxseed or fish oil together to make a cholesterol-lowering drink. You can also drink green tea, which lowers cholesterol according to University of Maryland Medical Center.
References
- MayoClinic.com: High Cholesterol Definition
- MayoClinic.com: Lifestyle and Home Remedies: Lowering Cholesterol
- MayoClinic.com: Top 5 Foods to Lower Your Numbers
- MayoClinic.com: Dietary Fiber: Essential for a Healthy Diet
- American Heart Association: Cooking to Lower Cholesterol
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Green Tea
