High blood cholesterol levels can lead to heart disease, one of the leading causes of death in the United States. A 1,200-calorie diet can be effective to help lower cholesterol, since it aids weight loss. Certain foods affect blood cholesterol levels more than others do. The Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes, or TLC, diet provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services helps lower cholesterol levels.
Background
Weight loss can help overweight individuals lower their cholesterol levels. The Department of Health and Human Services reports that overweight individuals who lose 10 lbs. can lower their LDL, or unhealthy, cholesterol by about 5 to 8 percent. Diets between 1,000 and 1,200 calories usually help most women lose weight, and diets between 1,200 and 1,600 calories typically help most men, women who exercise and women over 164 lbs. lose weight, the department says.
Cholesterol-lowering Foods
Consuming certain foods can help lower your blood cholesterol levels. Foods containing plant sterols, stanols or soluble fiber are part of the TLC diet, which encourages at least 2 g of plant stanols or sterols per day and 10 to 25 g of soluble fiber each day to help lower LDL cholesterol levels. Foods that provide soluble fiber include oatmeal, barley, psyllium seeds, pears, apples, prunes and legumes. Soybeans and pine tree oils contain plant sterols and stanols. They also fortify foods including types of margarines and orange juice.
Foods to Limit
To help keep your cholesterol levels in a healthy range, avoid or limit certain types of foods. These include saturated fats, trans fats and dietary cholesterol. Saturated fats typically increase cholesterol levels the most and are found in animal food products such as cheese, cream, ice cream, whole milk, bacon and other high-fat meats. Coconut and palm oils also contain high amounts of saturated fats. Trans fats are present in hydrogenated foods such as hard margarines and shortening, fried foods and certain baked foods such as doughnuts. The TLC diet limits saturated fat to less than 7 percent of total daily calories and reduces dietary cholesterol to less than 200 mg per day.
Sample Meal Plan
A sample 1,200-calorie, heart-healthy meal plan based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 consists of 1.5 cups of vegetables; 1 cup of fruits; 2.5 cups of low-fat dairy products; 3 oz. of protein foods such as lean meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, soy products, legumes, nuts or seeds; 4 oz. of grains; 17 g of oils; and 121 calories from solid, or saturated, fats and added sugars.
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