A low fat and low cholesterol diet is recommended by many doctors and dietitians alike because it can help a person lose weight, decrease cholesterol, decrease blood pressure and prevent other chronic health conditions. The National Institutes of Health recommends a diet where calories from fat make up no more than 25 to 35 percent of your intake and dietary cholesterol is limited to 200 mg per day.
Step 1
Decrease your intake of meat, especially red meat. For a low fat and low cholesterol diet, you do not need to become a vegetarian. Low fat and low cholesterol choices of protein foods such as beans, lentils, soy, tofu, white fish, skinless chicken breasts and skinless turkey breasts are good replacements for beef, pork and dark meat chicken. Red meat has both cholesterol and saturated fat, while beans, lentils, soy and tofu have no cholesterol or saturated fat.
Step 2
Replace white bread, white rice and white pasta, at least most of the time, with whole grains. Whole grains include 100-percent whole wheat bread, brown rice, oats, whole wheat tortillas and bulgur. Eating more whole grains and less refined grains is beneficial for your cholesterol levels.
Step 3
Replace all of your full-fat or regular diary products with low fat versions. Fat should be limited on this diet, and the type of fat in dairy products is mostly saturated, which causes your body's cholesterol levels to increase. There are low fat and even fat free versions of milk, cheese, cream cheese, yogurt and cottage cheese available.
Step 4
Add fruits and vegetables to your diet. All fruits and veggies have virtually no cholesterol and most of them have no fat. Fruits and vegetables are important to eat on a low fat and low cholesterol diet because they contain soluble fiber, which can decrease the ability of cholesterol to absorb in your body. On this diet, you should eat a minimum of five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. To increase your intake, try topping your cereal or oatmeal with berries or adding zucchini to your favorite pasta dish. Fruits and vegetables can be added to any dish.
Things You'll Need
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Vegetarian protein sources like lentils, beans, tofu and soy
- Lean meats such as white fish and skinless chicken breasts
- Whole grains such as brown rice
