Cholesterol, a waxy substance made in your liver and also derived from animal food products, such as meat, poultry, dairy and eggs, is needed for sex hormones and cell membranes. Yet too much dietary cholesterol may clog your arteries, reduce the flow of blood and oxygen to your heart and cause heart disease. High blood levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol, and low levels of HDL cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol, increase your risk for heart disease. A healthy diet may reduce your cholesterol levels.
Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes Diet
Reducing your dietary cholesterol intake requires lifestyle changes in the types of foods you eat. The American Heart Association recommends the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes Diet, also called TLC diet, which may reduce your cholesterol levels and lower your risk for heart disease. The TLC diet suggests you consume less than 200 mg of cholesterol, 25 to 35 percent of total calories from fat with less than 7 percent from saturated fat, 10 to 25 mg of soluble fiber, less than 2,400 mg of sodium, and enough calories to achieve or maintain a healthy weight and reduce your blood cholesterol. The TLC diet emphasizes foods low in cholesterol, saturated fat and trans fats or foods that do not contain these substances. A typical TLC diet each day comprises 2 to 4 servings of fruit, 3 to 5 servings of vegetables, more than 6 servings of whole grains, 6 to 8 teaspoons of oils, preferably olive oil, 2 to 3 servings of low-fat dairy with less than 1 percent fat, unlimited egg whites and less than 5 ounces of fish, lean meat or protein alternatives. Limit your egg yolk intake to less than 2 per week, and avoid processed foods or foods fried or prepared with trans fats or hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet reduces cholesterol and risk of heart disease. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes an abundance of seasonally fresh fruits and vegetables, whole-grain breads and cereals, beans, nuts, seeds, olive oil, fish, yogurt and low-fat cheese, and avoidance of or minimal amount of processed foods, meat, butter, saturated and trans fats. You may also drink wine with meals, about two 3.5-oz. glasses for men and one 3.5-oz. glass for women. Overall, the Mediterranean diet is low in cholesterol and saturated fat and high in fiber. Research by Caroline Richard published in "Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases" in 2010 found that the Mediterranean diet reduces total plasma cholesterol by 7.1 percent, LDL-cholesterol by 9.3 percent and the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol by 6.5 percent compared to a North American diet.
Vegan Diet
A vegan diet is plant-based, composed of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes. Vegans may get protein from soy foods, such as tofu and tempeh, that do not contain cholesterol and have a minimal amount of saturated fat. Research by Simone Grigoletto De Biase published in "Brazilian Archives of Cardiology" in 2007 found that vegans have lower blood levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol than omnivores, lacto-ovo vegetarians and lacto vegetarians.
References
- The Cleveland Clinic: Cholesterol
- American Heart Association: About Cholesterol
- American Heart Association: Step I , Step II and TLC Diets
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: Introduction to the TLC Diet
- Health Castle Nutrition: TLC Diet - a Diet for High Cholesterol Heart Disease Recommended by AHA
Member Comments