Low Fat, Low Sodium And Low Cholesterol Diets

Eating foods high in fat, sodium and cholesterol has been linked to increasing your chance of chronic diseases, such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Most diets emphasize portion control, as well as choosing healthier foods. The DASH diet, Mediterranean diet and heart-healthy diet limit your intake of fat, sodium and cholesterol in order to increase your health and wellness.

Fat, Sodium and Cholesterol

Fat, sodium and cholesterol are all necessary parts of the diet and serve a purpose to your body. It is when they are eaten in excess that they can cause trouble. The main two types of fat are unsaturated and saturated fats. Saturated fats are those that can clog your arteries. Substituting unsaturated fats for saturated ones may improve your health. Saturated fats come mostly from animal-based sources and are accompanied by cholesterol. Unsaturated sources of fat are generally plant-based, such as olive oil, nuts and seeds. Cholesterol is often categorized as good or bad. Good cholesterol, known as high density lipoprotein cholesterol, helps to reduce your overall cholesterol levels because it bring cholesterol molecules to your liver for excretion. Bad cholesterol or low density lipoprotein cholesterol transports cholesterol molecules around the body and into tissues. It is also the kind of cholesterol that can increase your risk of heart disease. Your cells and liver are programmed to produce cholesterol when your body begins to run low. The average American diet has an abundance of sodium, which can cause hypertension. Limiting your sodium intake is a good idea for anyone.

DASH diet

The DASH eating plan is a diet aimed at lowering blood pressure and increasing your health. This diet, adapted by the United States Department of Agriculture, participates in caloric control, sodium, fat and cholesterol restriction. On the DASH diet your daily intake goal is to consume less than 27 percent of your total calories from fat. Saturated fat should be only 6 percent of these calories and your cholesterol should be limited to 150 mg per day. Sodium is restricted to 2,300 mg per day, but the USDA notes that there is a dose-response relationship between sodium and health. Improvements in hypertension, are seen in even greater amounts if you restrict your sodium intake to 1,500 mg each day. The DASH eating plan emphasizes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy and lean proteins.

The Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is a way of eating that evolved in countries around the Mediterranean sea. This diet can be effective at reducing heart disease and controlling your weight. The Mediterranean diet reduces caloric intake from saturated fat and cholesterol, instead focusing on plant-based sources of protein and fats. Sodium intake is also limited on this diet, because it emphasizes whole foods rather than processed ones. Eating on the Mediterranean diet means that whole grains, fruits, vegetables, plant-based proteins and unsaturated oils are the base of each meal. Fish and seafood should be eaten at least twice per week with limited weekly intake of meat and dairy.

Heart-Healthy Diet

The Heart-Healthy Diet adapted by the Ohio State University Medical Center aims at improving health by limiting your intake of fat, cholesterol and sodium. Your health can benefit from this diet by decreasing your cholesterol, blood pressure and water retention. This diet focuses on food substitutions to limit the amount of fat, cholesterol and sodium you eat. To avoid fat and cholesterol, base your meals around low fat and low cholesterol sources of protein. These include skinless poultry, legumes, egg whites and soy. Avoid fatty meats, processed meats and pre-packaged meals. When choosing dairy, go for low fat or fat free options. Fruits and vegetables require consideration as well. Some canned, and even some frozen vegetables, may contain sodium. Instead of using prepackaged vegetables or fruits, choose raw or cook your own vegetables. To limit sodium, choose products that advertise themselves as sodium free or low sodium and avoid adding salt to your meals.

Other Dietary Considerations

Limiting your intake of fat, cholesterol and sodium may be just the first step in preventing chronic heart disease. According to a report published in the "Los Angeles Times" in December 2010, a high intake of carbohydrates is associated with chronic diseases traditionally attributed to dietary fat. Eating an excess of refined sugars and processed carbohydrates can lead to cellular insulin resistance, a condition that promotes higher and higher amounts of insulin release. The condition is associated with higher rates of heart attack and stroke, higher blood cholesterol and obesity. Insulin is the mechanism for transport of energy into your cells and for saving energy as stored fat. The presence of insulin in your bloodstream also inhibits the breakdown of your stored fat, leaving your body to rely on blood glucose instead of using your extra fat. High levels carbohydrates in the diet have also been associated with high levels of blood triglycerides.