Elevated levels of cholesterol or sugar in the bloodstream can have dire consequences on the body. In proper levels, both play vital roles in maintaining good health. However, overconsumption or genetic predisposition can lead to serious conditions including heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and its related symptoms. Following a healthy, well-balanced diet consisting of natural foods can help minimize the chances of exposure to the aforementioned conditions.
Step 1
Eliminate all saturated fats in the diet to reduce cholesterol levels. Saturated fats are any fats that are solid at room temperature. Fat around uncooked meats, butter and margarine are all examples of saturated fats. Trim fats from meat prior to cooking. Select leaner cuts like flank steak, top round or tenderloin. Eat smaller portions. Lean meat choices at mealtime should be about the size of the palm of your hand.
Step 2
Cook with olive or canola oils. Select margarine with stanol esters (Benezol, Take Control) if cooking with it is a must. A tablespoon with your meals has shown to have LDL (bad-cholesterol-lowering effects. Use canola and olive oils for sauteing pastas and also in place of dressings on salads.
Step 3
Substitute soy-based products in place of animal proteins to benefit from the isoflavones they contain. Isoflavones in soy foods block the production of cholesterol. This is essential for those who have been diagnosed with high cholesterol. Follow the recommendation put forth by the American Heart Association calling for at least 25 grams of soy per day to reduce LDL cholesterol and increase production of HDL (good) cholesterol. Boost your intake of soy by consuming soy milk and tofu. Eat a bowl of oatmeal every day to achieve lower cholesterol levels. As a part of a low-fat diet, soluble fiber, like found in oatmeal, protects against heart disease. Beans, split peas, barley and lentils are good sources of soluble fiber.
Step 4
Remove all processed or refined foods from your diet. Stay as close to nature as possible in your food choices. In other words, the more hands a food item passes through before reaching your plate, the less healthy it is for you. Processed foods tend to impact blood sugar levels more rapidly than unprocessed ones. Choose items with fewer ingredients; avoid ones that include sugars like sucrose, fructose, honey, any kind of syrup, cane juice or glucose to name a few. Be diligent in reading labels as manufacturers have become crafty in their attempts to sneak sugar into products, cloaked by some unrecognizable name. Obtain a glycemic index list, which ranks foods based on the rate at which they have an impact on blood sugar. Choose items that have a low-GI. Typically, these will be fruits and vegetables, although some fruits rank high on the list. However, because they are unprocessed, their natural components of fiber, pectin and other substances offset the rate of impact.
Step 5
Substitute table sugar with sweeteners such as Stevia, Splenda or Equal. Use these in moderation since, although they have a reduced impact on blood sugar levels, they are still loaded with calories. Know that an item could show that it has a low sugar content per serving; however, it could have multiple servings due to smaller portion sizes. Fiber is also central to the regulation of blood sugar levels. Aim for 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day.
Tips and Warnings
- Animal proteins do not have a monopoly on saturated fats. Many commercial baked goods including cakes, cookies, candies, chips and popcorn among others, list on their labels "partially hydrogenated." This is a process of converting trans fats into saturated fats. Any oil that is liquid at room temperature is preferable in food preparation than butter or margarine. However, canola and olive oils are the ones to include in a heart-healthy diet.
References
- Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook, 3rd ed; Nancy Clark; 2003.
- Sports and Ftness Nutrition; Robert Wildman and Barry Miller; 2004
