Elevated levels of blood cholesterol can increase your risk for coronary heart disease. When you have high cholesterol, you may develop fatty deposits in your blood, which eventually, make it difficult for blood to flow through your arteries. When you heart doesn't get the oxygen-blood it needs, it can lead to a heart attack. Dietary changes can help you achieve healthy cholesterol levels.
Restrict Your Calories
An overall calorie-restricted diet can contribute to lower levels of cholesterol by helping you lose weight. Even small amounts of excess fat on your body can cause higher blood cholesterol levels. By eating the appropriate amount of calories each day, you can lower your cholesterol through weight loss. The amount of calories you need will depend on your age, gender, height and activity level, but generally healthy calorie intakes range from 1,500 to 2,500 calories per day. Talk with you doctor about your specific calorie needs.
Avoid Excess Cholesterol
People who eat vegan diets and do not consume any cholesterol are not at risk for developing a deficiency in cholesterol. The liver actually produces its own cholesterol and makes enough to keep your body healthy. Including cholesterol in your diet is not necessary and too much can contribute to increases in cholesterol levels. The American Heart Association recommends that you consume no more than 300 mg of cholesterol each day. To keep you intake of dietary cholesterol low, it is important to understand what foods are high in cholesterol. Organ meats, beef and many processed meats contain high amounts of cholesterol. Also, the yolk of a chicken egg is rich in cholesterol; it is beneficial to discard the yolk and eat only the egg white.
Know Your Fats
Fats are not always a bad thing when consumed in moderation, but including the wrong fats in your diet can contribute to increases in your blood cholesterol. Healthy fats, such as monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, the types found in peanut butter, nuts and olive oil are considered heart-healthy fats. Eating these fats as a part of your regular diet can actually help lower your cholesterol levels. Saturated fats and trans fats, on the other hand, are contributors to high cholesterol levels. It only takes a small amount of trans fat to raise your "bad," or LDL, cholesterol level and you should, therefore, avoid this type of fat. Another name for trans fats is "partially hydrogenated oils." Look for these words on the ingredient list of food packages. Saturated fats can also contribute to higher cholesterol levels, but you have to consume them in greater quantities. Therefore, you don't have to avoid saturated fats entirely, but instead, keep your intake to a minimum. MayoClinic.com recommends limiting your saturated fat intake to 7 percent of your total daily calories.
Increase Your Intake of Certain Foods
Fruits and vegetables will not only help your keep your weight down, but they also contain other heart-healthy nutrients. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with healthy amounts of soluble fiber and when you consume enough of this type of fiber -- about 25 to 35 g -- your intestines are unable to absorb cholesterol, lowering you cholesterol levels. Whole grains and legumes are also good sources of soluble fiber. Foods fortified with plant sterols, such as orange juice and margarine, are also necessary for a cholesterol-lowering diet. According to a March 2006 study at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, study participants who took pills containing plant sterols lowered their LDL cholesterol levels by 9 percent and reduced their total cholesterol by 7 percent.
References
- Washington University St. Louis; Plant Sterol Pills Significantly Lower LDL Cholesterol; Jim Dryden; March 7, 2006.
- The Diet Channel; Fiber & Cholesterol: How Fiber Helps Lower Your Cholesterol;Katie Clark, MPH, RD; Dec. 5, 2006.
- American Heart Association; Numbers That Count; Jan. 7, 2011.
- American Heart Association: Trans Fat
- MayoClinic.com: Nutrition and Healthy Eating
