Your body produces cholesterol to help digest fatty foods and manufacture hormones. This fatty, wax-like substance does not mix well with blood -- like oil and water. Of the types of cholesterol, LDL is the "bad" cholesterol and HDL, the "good." As LDL cholesterol flows in your bloodstream, it may form plaque deposits, narrowing your arteries and restricting blood flow, which can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke. Lowering your LDL and total cholesterol levels through diet and lifestyle changes may lower your risk of serious health complications.
Step 1
Use olive oil instead of other fats. Olive oil is high in heart-healthy antioxidants, and may lower your cholesterol. Replace butter, lard or margarine with extra-virgin olive oil for the most benefits. Olive oil is still high in fat and calories, so eat it instead of other types of fats.
Step 2
Eat fish instead of beef or pork. Consuming less saturated fat will lower your cholesterol. Eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat, may reduce your risk of high blood pressure as well. The American Heart Association recommends eating seafood twice a week -- but limit shrimp and crawfish, which have more cholesterol than other types of seafood.
Step 3
Choose low-fat dairy products. Drinking skim or 1 percent milk instead of whole milk, using milk instead of cream in recipes, eating low-fat yogurt instead of of full-fat and cooking with part-skim cheeses will lower your cholesterol by limiting your saturated fat intake. Try to limit saturated fat to between 7 and 10 percent of your total caloric intake.
Step 4
Avoid trans fats. Trans fats are man-made fats, often used in packaged snack foods to extend shelf life. Read the ingredients list carefully, and don't buy products that contain "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" fats.
Step 5
Limit your intake of dietary cholesterol. Aim to eat less than 200 mg of cholesterol daily. The American Heart Association says most meats contain the same amount of cholesterol -- about 70 mg per 3-oz. serving.
Step 6
Leave the skin on your fruits and vegetables to increase your fiber intake. Soluble fiber may lower your cholesterol levels by preventing your body from absorbing the cholesterol. Try to eat 30 g of fiber daily, with at least 10 g of it soluble fiber. Oatmeal is another good source of soluble fiber.
Tips and Warnings
- Maintain a healthy body weight. High cholesterol is linked to obesity.
- Genetics influence how much cholesterol your body naturally produces. If you are eating properly and exercising but still have high cholesterol levels, your doctor may prescribe a cholesterol-lowering medication.
References
- National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute; High Blood Cholesterol; Sept. 2008
- Mayo Clinic; Cholesterol - Top 5 Foods to Lower Your Cholesterol Numbers; May 7, 2010
- American Heart Association; Cooking for Lower Cholesterol; Feb. 8, 2010
- DrMirkin.com; Is Hydrolyzed Soy the Same Thing as Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil?; Gabe Mirkin, MD; Jan. 8, 2006
