Lowering cholesterol levels is important to your health. A low-cholesterol diet, along with regular exercise and lifestyle changes such as smoking cessation and a reduction in alcohol consumption, lowers the level of LDL, or bad cholesterol, in your blood. More than 35 million American adults have blood cholesterol levels high enough to put them at risk for developing heart disease, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Cholesterol
A low-cholesterol diet guide focuses on reducing cholesterol and unhealthy fat. A diet high in trans fat and cholesterol is the main reason for high cholesterol levels in the blood in many people. Animals produce cholesterol in their livers. Animal products containing cholesterol include meat, fish, eggs, milk and cheese. A healthy person should consume less than 300 mg of cholesterol per day. A person with high blood cholesterol levels or a history of heart disease should reduce his dietary cholesterol intake to less than 200 mg a day.
Trans Fats
Manufacturers use trans fats to extend products' shelf life. Many commercially baked products, such as snack cakes and pies, contain these unhealthy trans fats. The American Heart Association suggests that you get less than 1 percent of your daily calories from trans fat. Check the nutrition label on a food's packaging to learn its trans fat content.
Fiber
Whole grains foods, such as whole wheat bread and oatmeal, contain soluble fiber which binds to cholesterol before your digestive system has a chance to absorb it into your bloodstream. Some fruits, such as bananas and citrus fruits, contain soluble fiber as well. Vegetables are part of a low-cholesterol diet, providing insoluble fiber which indirectly reduces cholesterol. Insoluble fiber adds volume to a meal, leaving you feeling more satisfied and less likely to snack on unhealthy treats.
Healty Fats
Eat fish twice a week. Inuit Eskimos have a low incidence of heart disease despite a fatty diet, because their diet includes plenty of cold water fish. These boney fish, including salmon and mackerel, contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, known to have a beneficial affect on cholesterol levels. Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, found in olive and canola oils, are a heart-healthy part of a low-cholesterol diet.
Cholesterol Minimum
Your liver produces most of the cholesterol in your body. You get the rest from the food you eat. You do not need to consume any cholesterol for your body to function properly -- your liver manufactures plenty. There is no minimum dietary requirement for cholesterol.
