Your cholesterol is made of low-density lipoprotein, also called LDL or bad cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein, also called HDL or good cholesterol. LDL is the type of cholesterol that can clog your arteries, and HDL is responsible for transporting LDL to your liver for disposal. A healthy cholesterol diet should limit your total cholesterol intake to less than 300 mg per day, unless you have heart disease. If you have heart disease, or your LDL cholesterol is 100 mg/dL or greater, limit your cholesterol to less than 200 mg per day. Your doctor will decide on an appropriate daily dietary intake of cholesterol that is appropriate for you.
Step 1
Eat whole-grain breads, cereals, pastas and rice. Avoid cheese bread or rolls, egg or cheese bagels, and egg noodles. Also, avoid commercially baked crackers, cakes and cookies, which often contain trans fats.
Step 2
Eat fish, chicken, turkey and lean meats. Eat dried beans, peas, lentils and tofu, and limit red meat to three servings per week. Do not eat organ meats, including liver, and do not consume fatty meats, such as bacon, sausage, hot dogs, luncheon meats and ribs. In addition, limit egg yolks to three or four each week and keep lean meats, fish or poultry to 6 oz. per day.
Step 3
Eat healthy unsaturated fats, such as olive or canola oil and avoid saturated fats, such as butter, margarine, shortening, lard, palm and coconut oils. Do not eat partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, and limit healthy fats to five to eight servings per day.
Step 4
Eat dairy products, such as yogurt, milk and cottage cheese, and choose nonfat or low-fat varieties. Avoid cream, and sauces made with cream, and choose nonfat cheeses, such as mozzarella and ricotta.
Step 5
Consume plenty of fruits and vegetables and choose fresh when possible. Avoid fruits canned in heavy syrups, and choose varieties canned in natural juices. Also, do not add sauces or fats to vegetables and steam them with herbs instead.
Tips and Warnings
- Do not eat fried foods and use cooking methods such as baking, broiling and roasting. Trim meats of all visible fat and remove the skin from poultry prior to cooking. In addition, drain and discard fats during cooking.
- Talk with your doctor before making changes to your dietary cholesterol intake.
