It's hard to say what's worse: finding out you have high cholesterol, or saying goodbye to tempting creamy, cheesy, fatty foods that are restricted by cholesterol-lowering diets. Fortunately, lowering cholesterol does not always require a complete diet overhaul. While greater changes will yield more dramatic results, starting out with some simple dietary changes can help you feel better about facing life without cheesecake and cheeseburgers.
Downsize Meats
Animal products are the only food group that contains cholesterol. Reducing beef, pork, shrimp, eggs and whole milk will slash intake of cholesterol. If eliminating most meat seems like too much of a sacrifice, limit your intake to one serving a day of around 3 oz., and aim for the lower-fat selections like chicken breast, turkey, beef tenderloin and egg whites.
Go Omega
Foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids can protect heart health, while foods with omega-6 fatty acids can lower low-density lipoproteins, or LDL, also known as bad cholesterol. For omega-3 fatty acids, increase your intake of albacore tuna, salmon, herring and mackerel. If baked or broiled fish seems too bland, experiment with bold spices and seasonings, especially lemon and Cajun flavorings. To get omega-6, stir some flaxseed into yogurt.
Skip Saturated Fat
Read food labels and look for products that contain no saturated fat. Saturated fat, which is solid at room temperature, is a significant culprit in raising cholesterol. Reducing animal products will reduce saturated fat, but won't totally eliminate it from your diet. Saturated fat also hides in palm oil and coconut oil, common ingredients in bakery-type snack foods.
Reduce Trans Fats
Trans fats, also known as trans fatty acids, were once thought to be the answer to reducing the need for saturated fat in cooking. It turns out that trans fats are just as bad for the heart -- and possibly worse -- than saturated fats, because they increase LDL, the bad cholesterol, in the blood. Trans fats are common in fast-food meals and in convenience items. Read the ingredient list at the grocery store when purchasing items like crackers and snacks, watching out for the words "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" -- these indicate the product contains trans fats.
Choose the Right Oils
Yes, oils are fats, and fats contain a lot of calories. But some fats, especially unsaturated and monounsaturated fats, can improve heart health. Using the right kind of fat is a great way to maintain flavor in foods while reducing saturated fat intake. Cooking with canola oil can increase heart-protective omega-3 fatty acids. Or skip margarine and try dipping whole grain bread in a seasoned olive oil. Stir fry or sauté vegetables in olive oil -- the oil will reduce bitter flavors from cruciferous vegetables like broccoli.
Use Sterol Ester Products Daily
Food manufacturers introduced margarines and salad dressings with a compound called sterol esters in the 1990s. In 2010, the "American Journal of Health System Pharmacy" published a review of the effectiveness of these products for cholesterol reduction. The findings showed that intake of 1.6 to 3 g of sterol ester products per day -- or about 0.3 to 0.6 tsp. -- decreased LDL, or bad cholesterol, by 10 to 11 percent over the course of several months. If you can't give up your margarine and high-fat salad dressings, get the LDL-lowering benefit of a small amount of these products. Sterol esters are also in olive oil, low-fat milk and orange juice.
Increase Soluble Fiber
Soluble fiber isn't digested by the body, but it does bind to cholesterol particles in the small intestine and prevents their absorption. Eating citrus fruits and strawberries is a tasty way to increase soluble fiber. Try incorporating foods with soluble fiber into every meal to increase its effectiveness. Have oatmeal for breakfast, beans in a vegetable soup at lunch and peas with dinner.
